The Unlucky Clan
by Jazzthekat
Summary: "Echostar's going to regret that she lived." Greytalon hissed under his breath. Stoneclan was weak and his leader was stupid. Darkclaw flinched as she heard the tom's cold words. "She's still our leader Greytalon." "Our clan is dieing because of her! Frozenclan will soon destroy us all if we let this continue!" Darkclaw closed her eyes, why was Starclan not on their side at all?
1. Chapter 1

The Unlucky Clan

StoneClan

Leader: EchoStar- Grey she cat with light blue eyes.

Deputy: BarkStalker- Dark brown tabby with dark green eyes.

Medicine Cat: Lillyflower- She cat with cream fur with big amber eyes. Apprentice: AshPaw- Dark grey she cat with white paws and has blue eyes.

Warriors

BlackHeart- Black tom with amber eyes Apprentice: BoltPaw

BirdWing- Brown she cat with hazel eyes and unusual long ears

Apprentice: RainPaw

SorrelLeaf- Tortoisehell tom with blue eyes Apprentice: WhitePaw

SpottedFang- White tom with small specks of black spots with amber eyes

WhiteWish- White she cat with grey underbelly with only one ear Apprentice: FoxPaw

Ravenflight-Black tom with one blue eye and one amber eye

Apprentices

RainPaw- Beautiful white she cat with a long grey line that starts from her head to the tip of her tail, has big blue eyes.

WhitePaw- Grey tabby with serious yellow eyes and has white underbelly

FoxPaw- Dark Orange tom with two black paws and narrow black eyes

BoltPaw- Light Orange tom with cream colored paws and tail with amber eyes.

Queens

Dawnmist-Black she cat with white underbelly, ears, and paws also has light green eyes.

Sunflower- Cream colored she cat with an orange snout, has black eyes.

Kits

Darkkit- Black she cat with grey and white stripes all over body, has dark green eyes

Snowkit- White she cat with brown spots all over her face, has blue eyes.

Elders

Fawneyes- light grey she cat with light amber eyes

Chapter 1: The Kit

Dawnmist tried to hold back her screech and yowl as she bit down hard on the stick that Lillyflower had put in her mouth just before she started to give birth to her kit. Dawnmist felt pain surging up on her stomach and tried her best to breath in gulps of air despite the great pain.

"Hold in their Dawnmist! Your kit is coming!"

Lillyflower shouted as she rubbed Dawnmist's stomach to get her kit. Dawnmist felt the world around her twirl as her other kits looked at her with concern eyes.

"Mother! You can do this! You're very strong!"

WhitePaw told his mother while his white fur was shaking rapidly while RainPaw looked at her mother in shock.

"Mother, we're here for you, you can do this," Rainpaw told her mother as calm as possible despite the situation. Lillyflower looked at Dawnmist with her calm amber eyes,

"Clam down Dawnmist! You're kit is almost here!"

Dawnmist huffed and puff and finally with all her might pushed hard as she can. And finally a small kit was on the floor, squealing for milk. Lillyflower turned around to face her apprentice AshPaw,

"AshPaw, bring me some moss so I can clean the kit."

AshPaw nodded once and quickly ran to the back of the medicine den to quickly gather up some wet moss. Dawnmist had her eyes closed and was breathing rapidly,

"Did I make it?" She asked uneasily. Whitepaw smiled,

"Yes mother, you made it."

WhitePaw let out a sigh of relief and slowly went closer to his mother,

"Mother, are you ok?"

Dawnmist nodded slowly, but still lay on the ground. Lillyflower looked at Ravenflight who was leaning against the den with annoyed eyes,

"Put her on the nest there, she needs some rest after all that."

Ravenflight slowly helped his mate up and helped her walk towards the nest filled with fresh soft moss to lay on top of. AshPaw came quickly with a paw full of moss in her mouth and put it next to Lillyflower, "Here's the moss!"

Lillyflower smiled, "Thank you AshPaw, you make me proud," she lifted up a piece of moss then began cleaning the new born kit. RainPaw finally woken up from her shock, "When will she open her eyes?"

Lillyflower turned to face the white apprentice, "Well…when the time comes RainPaw."

RainPaw narrowed her eyes, she heard that a thousand times but before she opened her mouth to argue her brother interrupted her, "She's really small."

As he said that he glanced quickly at his newborn sister, "I think she's one of the smallest kits I've ever seen! She's even smaller then Snowkit!"

Ravenflight chuckled, "Don't underestimate your sister like that WhitePaw, she might be stronger then you when she's a full grown warrior."

WhitePaw rolled his eyes then snickered, "Well, she'll have to train until she's an elder to beat me!"

RainPaw looked at her brother with a disappointed glare, "You seriously think you're that strong?"

"Oh come on RainPaw! I try the hardest out of BoltPaw, FoxPaw and you!"

"But I'm a better climber and hunter!" RainPaw hissed at her brother with her lip curled.

"Well, I'm a better fighter then you!"

WhitePaw shouted back at his older sister.

"Both of you behave! You two make me embarrassed already! How many times do I have to remind you two? Show respect in front of other cats! You two are apprentices, not kits anymore!" Ravenflight hissed down to his two kits.

WhitePaw mumbled, "We only turned apprentices a few moons ago…"

WhitePaw still remembered him getting his apprentice name, he was very excited that he finally became an apprentice but the fact that he now had a sister meant that there would be another cat to compete with to become the best warrior in the clan. His new born sister snapped him out from his thoughts as she whined for milk. AshPaw rolled her eyes and gently picked up the kit by the scruff of her neck and carried her gently to her sleepy mother.

"Would you want some poppy seeds to help you sleep?"

She asked before she turned her back to the female. Dawnmist shook her head, "No, I'll be fine…thank you AshPaw I am happy that we have such experienced medicine cats in out clan. The other clans should be jealous."

AshPaw blushed in embarrassment, "Oh well…I was just doing my job Dawnmist, a medicine cat should always help a cat in situations like this."

Ravenflight stood a distance away looking at his new born kit, he turned to his other kits, "Get out, EchoStar might need some help with the hunting," He turned around for the last time to see his mate and his new kit then vanished out from the den in silence. His other kits looked at each other once then finally scurried off to their father. Lillyflower looked down at Dawnmist, "You need anything else? It is almost new leaf…"

"And I sure am it's soon going to be new leaf…I am getting tired of all this snow and less prey. Many of our warriors were getting sick."

"I know, but we can't always have a happy life…a happy lazy life like those kitty pets have," Lillyflower hissed under her breathe, thinking of the lazy cats who would sleep and play around while they worked for survival.

Dawnmist looked down at her kit who was happily drinking some milk, "What do you think I should name her?"

Lillyflower looked down at the little kit, she was mostly black, but had a few stripes of grey and white, "I honestly don't know. But she sure if very pretty, she is blessed by Starclan to be born from such a powerful father and a beautiful mother."

Dawnmist looked up at the medicine cat, "Ravenflight's not really happy I noticed…"

Lillyflower thought of the big tom, he didn't really smiled at his new born kit at all, "He must be tired, he's been hunting all day and fought against Swiftclan a few days ago."

Dawnmist sigh, deep inside she knew the reason. Her mate wanted another son, a son that he could spend time, more time than he ever spent with WhitePaw. He wanted a son because he believed that toms were better then she cats. It was that simple, he loyal but he wanted himself to look powerful with more males in his family. Dawnmist brushed her tail against her kit gently as she felt her kit slowly falling to sleep. Lillyflower looked out from the medicine den with a quick glance and noticed the cold snow was still on top of the freezing ground, "It's very dark…a bit too dark for leaf bare."

"I know…it's like as if we're in the dark forest."

Lillyflower shuddered to think of the dark forest but noticed speaks of stars filling in the sky, "But there are a few stars up there. Just as usual, the stars lighten the darkness just like my mentor Bumblepelt said."

The medicine cat yawned as she curled up into her nest filled with twigs and moss and before she slept she whispered, "Goodnight Dawnmist."

Dawnmist closed her eyes and felt the warm body of her kit against her.

'Darkness…'

She thought to herself.

'The stars that brighten the darkness…'

She thought again as she cuddled herself closer to her kit.

'I wonder what she meant that the stars brighten the darkness…"

And with that Dawnmist slowly fell asleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Darkkit woke up with her eyes wide from the sound of her usual wake up call, her mother's snoring. Darkkit looked around her surroundings, she saw the same old twigs that made up the queen's den. She also noticed Sunflower and Snowkit cuddled up together and sleeping soundly as if the world was at peace. Darkkit yawned once more and stretched, she liked stretching in the morning. She glanced up at her mother, she seems to be asleep. Darkkit grinned, she knew that this time she could adventure out the den as long as she does not awaken her mother. Darkkit slowly made her way out from her nest, but shrieked as a big paw landed on top of her back, pinning her to the ground.

"Well, where do you think you're going Darkkit?"

Her mother asked with her voice filled with melody. Darkkit groaned, her mother always faked slept and surprised her just before she was able to escape and see the world,

"Mama, I want to go out and see the rest of the clan, I'm tired of seeing the same faces all the time. And now I want to try to hunt and fight by myself. You've been always making me feel like a prisoner ever since I tasted my first mouse. And the only time I actually went out to see the clan is when you're going out to see the elders and other cats for sharing tongues!"

Darkkit complained to her mother with a high pitched voice, her usual voice when she was annoyed and angry. "Oh?"

Her mother said and tilted her head,

"Naughty aren't you?"

She purred and licked her daughter's head to clean and smooth the ruffled fur. Darkkit mumbled to herself, "How come WhitePaw and RainPaw gets to go out without you chasing their tails like you do to me?"

"It's because you're just a kit, Darkkit. I told you a thousand times."

"But I'm not a kit anymore! I want to be a warrior!"

"Becoming a warrior is not easy, you need patience and time to be a great warrior. Just like your father. He's the best warrior we have."

"But I barely meet father and he…"

Sunflower yawned,

"Good day Dawnmist, how are you doing on this fine morning?"

"Oh! I just woken up with my kit just a few minutes ago. I'm fine, thank you. How are you doing?"

"I'm actually quite fine even though Snowkit's been cranky that she won't let me clean her face!"

Snowkit glared at her mother,

"It's because you think my spots are actually mouse dung!"

Darkkit held her tongue from laughing, Snowkit did had unusual brown dots all over her face, they were very small too, just about the size of actual mouse dung. Sunflower chuckled and touched her kit with her tail gently, "Oh well, you know that I just like to keep you clean that's all. I can't stand to have a dirty kit. Especially when she's going to be an apprentice really soon!"

Snowkit lifted her head up,

"I'll be the cleanest warrior! Mama, the only thing that the other warriors would do is teasing me because you pay too much attention on my fur!"

Sunflower ignored what her daughter said and went on cleaning her daughter's ears.

"Mama, could I at least go explore the clan? Please?! I'll have to know my way around when I become a warrior! I'm begging you!"

Dawnmist laughed,

"Oh well…if you really want to explore out clan that much, I guess you can."

Darkkit's eyes shot wide open just like an owl that would have found prey,

"You serious mama?!"

Her mother nodded with a smile on her face,

"but just make sure you don't go out into the woods, it's dangerous!"

Darkkit ran off from the den, just in case her mother changed her mind.

Darkkit smiled as she felt the cool breeze hit her face and for once she felt free, until Snowkit slammed into her from behind. She felt the soft grass hit her face and she heard herself groan. Snowkit jumped off from Darkkit, "Oh! I am so sorry Darkkit! I didn't know you were there! My mother told me to go with you. This might be the only time she let me explore for once, you see, she doesn't want me to get all dirty and…"

Darkkit was busy looking around and admiring the clan instead of listening to Snowkit complain and whine. She stared and noticed many dens, she smelled different herbs from a small den not too far away, she noticed her sister and brother coming out from a certain den, and full grown warriors sharing tongues in the sunlight under a pine tree. She noticed there were many cats in the clan, she didn't notice a lot of faces but the thing that really made her daydream was a high rock, sticking out from a small section of rocks piled on top of each other, creating a sort of cave. And there she noticed a grey she cat with serious blue eyes, she was staring down at her clan, looking at every single cat with narrow eyes, just like a hawk eyeing its prey. Her pelt seemed to glisten like small pebbles and her eyes where very sharp and serious, but it seemed warm despite the color was blue. "Darkkit?"

Snowkit said, finally noticing that her friend was not listening to her the whole time, she looked at where her friend stared and she gasped also,

"She's beautiful…"

She whispered, Darkkit nodded,

"I know…and she seems as if she's really responsible too…"

The two kits stared at the grey she cat for a few long minutes until an old elder chuckled,

"That's EchoStar, our clan leader young ones."

The two kits quickly turned around and unsheathed their tiny claws, their claws were too tiny that you could barely see them, but they didn't care. They felt their ears lower as they noticed the cat who told them was actually an old elder. The grey old she cat laughed,

"Well, it seems like our clan has jumpy cats. I am very proud that my clan has cats that are aware of their surroundings."

She elder chuckled, but the two kits were silent as mountains. The elder cleared her throat,

"Well, I've heard about you two from EchoStar. She told me you two were going to be apprentices soon. I am sure you two are excited!"

Still silence. And the elder was getting frustrated,

"Well?! Why are you two just staring at me like a couple of mouse brains?! Have your parents thought you any manners when someone is speaking to you?! Ugh…kits these days."

Darkkit giggled,

"Sorry, we were just shocked for a while. We never expected an…an elder to…"

"An elder to scare you?"

They grey she cat asked with narrow slits of yellow eyes,

"So you think elders like me can't scare or kill anymore?!"

She shrieked like an alarm jay.

"Oh no! Of course we don't!"

Snowkit tried to back up Darkkit,

"Sorry. We've only been out here a few times. Our mothers don't really let us explore because their very worried…my name if Snowkit and this here is Darkkit."

The elder seemed to calm down and slowly sat down on the soft green grass,

"Well, I guess you at least have manners. My name is Fawneyes. I've been here very long, so if any of your friends want to know about our clan's history, they are free to ask me."

Fawneyes told the two kits cheerfully. The two kits smiled an innocent smile, but was still quite unsure how this elder appeared to them so quickly. Darkkit noticed a shout and hiss sound occurring behind the apprentice's den, she tilted her head to get a better look on what was going on behind the den. Snowkit noticed the sound and rearranged her ears to catch what the other cats were doing. The two kits heard the elder chuckle,

"You kits are always too curious, don't worry. The sound that you're hearing is just the sound the apprentices are making. They must be training on their fighting moves already. You want to see them?"

Darkkit jumped up quickly,

"Oh yes! Yes Fawneyes! We would like to see the apprentices!"

Snowkit giggled from how her friend's voice cracked with excitement. Fawneyes smiled and got up slowly her head nodding towards the apprentice den,

"Well, come on then. We can't stay here all day!"

The elder padded away as the two playful kits ran to catch up.

"Foxpaw! Dodge!"

Whitewish screeched as her apprentice fell to the ground, pinned by another strong apprentice. Foxpaw gritted his teeth with anger while his opponent grinned an amused grin. The opponent's amber eyes glistened,

"I told you I was going to beat you."

"Boltpaw, good job. You did as I told you, always look at your opponent, and try to guess which move the opponent will use."

Blackheart meowed to his apprentice, pride in his eyes,

"You may get off from Foxpaw."

Boltpaw nodded with a sneer on his face, and got off from his opponent. Foxpaw glared at Boltpaw, embarrassed in defeat,

"I'll get you Boltpaw,"

his eyes narrowed,

"I swear."

Whitewish sigh,

"Foxpaw, come over here."

Foxpaw walked back to his mentor, his fur still standing out with frustration. Rainpaw looked at Foxpaw,

"Nice try Foxpaw. You were actually pretty good."

Foxpaw stopped from walking and glanced at his fellow friend. He saw Rainpaw's bright blue eyes and her sweet smile. He smiled back,

"Thanks."

Birdwing nudged her apprentice,

"Rainpaw, this time you will practice fighting with Boltpaw."

Rainpaw's eyes widen, she was half afraid because Boltpaw was very strong and good at fighting, she noticed her brother's mouth was wide open too.

"Birdwing…!"

He was about to start but Birdwing slashed her tail, meaning for him to stay silent. Rainpaw gulped uneasily and faced the strong apprentice who was looking at her with warm eyes,

"You can start first,"

he said rather calmly. Rainpaw nodded once,

"Thanks,"

and crouched down, she made sure that her paws were straight and her head was low. Her body was touching the grass, tickling her stomach. Boltpaw did the same stance, but his eyes were narrow, concentrating on his target. Rainpaw felt her heart race, she had never fought with Boltpaw, but she would try her best. Just before any of the two would attack, a crackling voice interrupted them,

"Hello there, Blackheart, Sorrelleaf, Birdwing, and Whitewish."

The four warriors faced the elder. "Hello Fawneyes," Sorrelleaf meowed, her head slightly down to show respect to the elder. Just before any of the warriors would ask a small black head popped from behind the elder's fluffy tail.

"Darkkit!"

Whitepaw and Rainpaw shouted at the same time as they saw their young sister running towards them. Their sister purred and rubbed against each one of them,

"I missed you two! Why didn't you visit me last night? I was nervous!"

The two apprentices blushed in embarrassment, and Whitepaw swore he heard one of the warriors snicker. Snowkit popped behind from Fawneyes and raced towards her friend. She stopped and stared at the four apprentices with amazement,

"Wow! You four really look tough!"

Boltpaw rolled his eyes and walked away from Snowkit's big shining eyes. The four warriors smiled and nodded to their apprentices,

"You four rest, we can train later on."

Blackheart told the four of them and padded of towards the leader. Fawneyes looked at the six young cats, "Well, I think I should go share tongues with the leader, she seems to have a bit of free time for now."

The old shaggy cat padded slowly off, leaving the six cats behind.

"So this is your sister?"

Boltpaw asked as he twirled around Darkkit slowly with narrow eyes,

"I've never really seen her."

"She barely comes out, Our mother doesn't really let her explore,"

Whitepaw explained his voice quiet for he did not really liked Boltpaw.

"She's quite small for her age,"

Boltpaw meowed, pushing Darkkit to the ground,

"and weak."

Rainpaw pushed Boltpaw to the side,

"Leave her alone Boltpaw!"

She hissed slowly. Boltpaw rolled his eyes and started to clean his cream coloured paws,

"Sure, whatever."

Darkkit glared at the big apprentice, 'I'll show him what I got!' Darkkit thought to herself. And without warning she ran towards the tom and leaped, nipping his ears. Boltpaw hissed and pushed Darkkit off from him, pinning her to the ground with one paw,

"Don't mess with me, kit!"

Boltpaw snarled with his lips curled, causing Darkkit to shudder uneasily. The tom looked amused, not until Foxpaw bit his tail tip. Boltpaw hissed and unsheathed his claws and swiped, just cutting the tips of Foxpaw's whiskers. Boltpaw's eyes narrowed,

"Did you just bit my tail?!"

Foxpaw and Boltpaw glared at each other with their mouth curled up into a snarl. Whitepaw got in between them just in time before any of them would fight,

"You two! Knock it off! What would Echostar say?! Echostar made us apprentices because she believes that we're mature enough to be seen as young warriors! We can't let her down like this! Did you guys even think why she gave us our apprentice names?!"

Boltpaw hissed and glared at Darkkit,

"That kit attacked me…"

Darkkit squeaked back in anger,

"You made me angry!"

Boltpaw's eyes were burning with anger,

"Why you little mouse dung!"

Rainpaw's eyes widen,

"Don't call my sister mouse dung you fox brain!"

Boltpaw hissed,

"At least I'm not half clanned!"

He screeched out loud, making Rainpaw's ears flatten to her head. There were rumors that Whitepaw, Rainpaw and Darkkit's father was half clanned. Nobody however knew the truth. Whitepaw burst in anger when he heard that,

"We're not half clanned! Our parents are pure blooded and they mated with each other because they were in the same clan!"

Whitepaw unsheathed his claws and pranced, Boltpaw pranced also, glaring at his opponent. Boltpaw felt a big blow on his stomach and fell to the ground flat. He glared up and gasped as he saw a big great tom with dark brown fur. Boltpaw got up on his paws quickly,

Barkstalker!"

"What is the meaning of this?! Aren't you four suppose to be training?! All I've been seeing is bickering!"

His deep voice thundered. The deputy looked at each of the four apprentices and noticed Darkkit,

"Why is a kit doing here?!"

Darkkit's brother and sister were about to explain, but a high pitched voice interrupted,

"Papa!"

The muscular leader turned around with sharp eyes and noticed Snowkit smiling up at him. "Snowkit! You're looking well!"

He purred as he rubbed his rough face with his daughter,

"How is your mother doing my little warrior?"

"She's doing great! But she's still cleaning me over and over again even though I'm really clean! I'm so clean that even a two legged would think I'm a kitty pet!"

The deputy chuckled,

"Well, your mother does like to keep things organized and clean,"

He touched his nose to Snowkit's head,

"Now, what are you doing outside from your den?"

"Darkkit and I were exploring!"

The deputy glanced at Darkkit who was smiling back uneasily,

"Hmm…I guess that explains it,"

the deputy sharply turned back to the four apprentices and his soft voice quickly changed back into his serious voice,

"What were you four doing?!"

Foxpaw answered,

"We were fighting Barkstalker…we won't fight again."

Barkstalker narrowed his eyes,

"If I hear another word of bickering between you four, I will let Echostar know that you four would better suit as kits!"

The deputy snarled and the four apprentices gulped. Before the strong deputy left he turned back to Snowkit and licked her head,

"Go back to the den with your friend. I don't want any trouble going on, I've been hearing that kits were disappearing over night from last night's gathering, and I don't want to lose you or your friend. I'll show you the camp and clan territory when I have a bit of time, behave well."

The deputy glanced with his sharp eyes at the apprentices and left without a word.

"Your father's scary,"

Darkkit told Snowkit.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Silverpaw purred as she licked Greypaw's ears,

You need to clean your ears, you got grass and dirt all over you,"

she purred. Greypaw stayed quiet as the Frozen clan leader's daughter cleaned his ears. Greypaw still remembered how he used to be a loner. Icestar found him, and he became Silverpaw's entertainer for she always felt lonely, and he became Icestar's adopted son.

"That mole was worth the catch though, don't you think?"

He asked the she cat. Silverpaw looked down at her paws,

"I personally don't think so, you almost fell into that deep hole."

"Oh come on, it was worth the try, and you know how much I love to eat moles,"

Greypaw nudged Silverpaw. Silverpaw sigh,

"I just want you to be safe ok? I don't want to lose you. You should just stay away from those dangerous things."

"But I want adventure Silverpaw."

Greypaw complained and got up from the cool ground. He sigh and shook his fur, he hated it when his fur got tangled with the grass. Silverpaw got up, her sleek pelt shining in the afternoon sun,

"I think we should just hunt mice. Their faster, but safer."

Greypaw rolled his eyes,

"I thought we had to look out for badgers when we hunt. We're not safe Silverpaw, we're never safe."

"Oh yes we are! Father made this clan the strongest, and it'll stay that way!"

Silverpaw's eyes sharpen and cleaned her paws, the usual thing she did when she was stressed. Greypaw sigh,

"I was only joking."

Silverpaw looked up from her paw, her eyes still sharp,

"Well, I don't get your sense of joke! Father tries his best to get this clan to be the strongest!"

"But our clan is not the strongest! Plus, the only cat he cares about is Tigerpaw!"

Greypaw hissed at his stepsister. Silverpaw's eyes widen as she saw her brother's eyes looking at her for a brief second and then looking away,

"I…I need some fresh air."

Greypaw stood up uneasily and padded slowly towards the exit of the apprentice's den until his sister stops him with a small meow,

"Today's the gathering…just letting you know…father wants you to come with him tonight."

Greypaw stood where he was standing with his dark green eyes wide with shock. His father never cared a bit about him, but this would mean something!

"I told you, I'll be fine!"

Foxpaw tried his best to convince the medicine cat apprentice.

"Oh really?"

Ashpaw raised an eyebrow while touching Foxpaw's scratches with the tip of her tail, then she heard a shriek of pain from Foxpaw when she just hit a small spot on his shoulder,

"You were saying?"

She purred in amusement as the apprentice glared at her,

"It's nothing big, ok? Boltpaw only pushed me pretty hard in the ground…it's only a small jagged rock that done a small damage, how terrible could it be?"

The medicine apprentice rolled her eyes as she put small pieces of cobwebs on Foxpaw's hurt shoulder,

"Let's just say I'm trying to save you from the most terrible thing a cat would go through…this scratch might get infected and the next thing you know…you'll die."

"Hey! Uh…that's not true!"

Foxpaw hissed but his voice seem to shudder,

"Uh…is it?" The medicine cat apprentice giggled,

"Of course it's not true! You'll be fine in a day, it's not a big cut!"

"So I don't need to stay in the medicine's den tonight?!"

Ashpaw nodded with a purr. The apprentice yowled with excitement of the thought of getting out from the boring den sooner than he expected,

"Thanks Ashpaw! You're the best!"

The dark orange tom purred as the she cat smiled with pride.

"Ehem,"

They two cats turned the heads and saw Rainpaw, who was sitting right outside the entrance of the medicine den,

"What are you two doing?"

She tilted her pure white head with narrowed slits of blue eyes.

"Well, I was taking care of Foxpaw's cuts."

"Oh really?"

Rainpaw glanced at Foxpaw who was looking back at her with jet black eyes then she glanced at Ashpaw again, who was tilting her grey head with curiosity.

"Um…is there something wrong Rainpaw?"

Rainpaw shook her head,

"No, I was just checking in if you needed some company, that's all."

The she cat apprentice slipped out from the medicine den, hissing annoyingly as one of the small tips of the branches that made up the medicine den poked the tip of her nose,

"Urgh…hate medicine dens…"

Rainpaw glared at her nose, and rubbed it annoyingly with a paw.

"You ok there Rainpaw?"

Rainpaw looked up at the warm voice and noticed Ravenflight with his big muscles covered with his sleek gleaming black fur. Rainpaw's eyes widen and quickly sat down and ignored the pain of the sharp twig that had pricked her nose,

"Oh…hello Ravenflight."

The full grown warrior nodded back in respect then noticed his daughter's red nose,

"What happened to your nose?"

"A twig pricked me, nothing big though, I'll still live!"

The warrior did not chuckle back from the joke, he only stared at Rainpaw with his dark chilling blue eye, "You're growing up quite fast…time is going fast."

"Oh come on Ravenflight, I barely impressed my mentor anyway…"

Her ears flatten on her head and she looks away. Her father was still silent for a few more minutes until he finally changed the subject,

"How's Whitepaw doing? Is he training like a tom should?"

He purred with concerned eyes. 'You never ask me about my trainings…you only say that I grow up too quickly…' Rainpaw thought to herself bitterly but answered her father,

"He's doing pretty well. He's getting better at tree climbing too. Uh…I think I better go. See you later Ravenflight!"

The full grown warrior only blinked but nodded. Rainpaw quickly dashed off towards the warrior's den, and almost crashing into Spottedfang, was able to turn just in time to avoid the crash.

"Woah! Man, Rainpaw, you seem to be excited and energetic like a rabbit! Calm down there!"

The warrior told her, his tail twitching with annoyance and shock.

"Sorry Spottedfang!"

Rainpaw apologized quickly and hid behind the warrior's den. Rainpaw huffed for air, she ran so fast that she ran out of breath, or maybe it was the fact her lungs were about to burst at the thought of her father actually talking to her! Her father barely talked to her and whenever he did it would always be something about her behavior. The young she cat rolled her eyes and blushed in embarrassment

"Ugh…why did I even run?!"

Her white tail curled around her paws as she hunched over to cover her blushing face.

"Great Starclan…I bet Ravenflight's going to think I'm crazy! Ugh…why am I always so clumsy?!"

"Hey! Hey, you! You apprentice! Look over here!"

A cracking voice shouted at Rainpaw from a few fox length away. The annoyed she cat glared at the voice and noticed the same old scrawny elder Fawneyes glaring at her with annoyed eyes,

"Can't you young mouse brains do anything useful to the clan?! The sun's almost setting and the gathering is getting closer! And over all the clan is pretty hungry! Now get out there and get me a badger or something! Before this elder might die from starvation!"

Rainpaw nodded with annoyance as the elder spoke,

"Yes, yes, I know. But Fawneyes, I thought you just shad a birch a few minutes ago!"

"That birch was a left over piece of scum that the warriors afforded me…the left over that they seem to hate eating while their actually pretty good. Despite the fact that their left over scum. Now for Starclan's sake! Get me some prey before I kill myself!"

The apprentice ran off quickly towards the woods that would lead her to the hunting grounds,

"stupid medicine dens, stupid father, stupid elders!"

She hissed to herself as she jumped over a log that was blocking her way. "Urgh, can't there be any peace in Stoneclan for once that I could enjoy?!"

"Barkstalker, Birdwing, Spottedfang, Ravenflight, Whitewish, Ashpaw, Foxpaw and last but not least Rainpaw will come to the gathering tonight,"

Echostar's loud voice thundered in the camp.

"Me…me?!"

Rainpaw heard herself whisper with shock as she heard her name called by her strong leader. She had never been to a gathering in all her life! Foxpaw purred with joyful eyes as he noticed his friend's shocked face,

"I can't believe it either! Starclan surely blessed us this time!"

Rainpaw purred in agreement with her bright blue eyes gleaming in the moonlight. Dawnmist sigh with pride as she padded a bit closer to her daughter,

"You are finally going to a gathering! This is a great opportunity to learn more about the other clans…be sure to stay next to your mentor and behave."

"Mama, I can behave now, I'm soon going to be a warrior one day anyway."

She meowed to her mother with annoyance at the fact that she knew her mother did not trust her on being alone. Dawnmist purred as she licked her daughter's white ears gently and glanced at Foxpaw,

"Make sure she does not get in trouble Foxpaw, please. You know how reckless she is…"

Rainpaw glared at Foxpaw as he tried to hold back his laugh. Her mother only smiled and padded away towards her mate Ravenflight who was talking with Echostar before they were to leave. She felt her head aching just to see her husband who did not check her in the morning to say hello or anything at all and the fact he did not talk to her for four moons. Ravenflight's sleek black fur glowed from the stars above, showing off his strongly built muscles. Echostar's blue eyes stared at Ravenflight as he discussed his topic,

"Echostar, I think we need to fight for our territory…Frozenclan warriors were seen crossing out boarders!"

"I know you are concerned about our clan Ravenflight and I am glad to have such a loyal warrior like you, but I won't risk getting any cats hurt."

"But then they'll get our prey! Those mouse brains never listen to our warnings! We had enough of this Echostar…one even attacked me!"

The black tom's deep voice slightly turned into a hiss of frustration. Echostar's blue eyes remained calm, "Violence cannot solve anything Ravenflight, you know better. We lost so many cats…we even lost Scarletpelt…"

Ravenflight's eyes narrowed,

"Scarletpelt was killed by Icestar…we must show them that we should not be messed with. Echostar, they killed Scarletpelt for no reason! They killed your only kit, they must get out revenge!"

Echostar's eyes were darkening of the thought of her murdered daughter who died many moons ago but the deep scars were still fresh in her heart.

"Ravenflight?"

Dawnmist's delicate voice attracted the two cat's attention. The black tom turned to face his mate,

"What is it now, Dawnmist?"

His mate's white paws shivered nervously,

"Well, we need to talk."

Ravenflight glanced at leader and nodded in respect before following his scrawny mate behind a few big rocks. As they hide away from the others Ravenflight's voice turned harsh immediately,

"Why did you distracted me when I was talking with Echostar?! I was going to get my clan to gain more power!"

His mate's ears flatten with sadness,

"Your clan? It's my clan too! But the fact that you didn't talk to me for a few days bothers me Raven!"

"Dawnmist, you know that I'm busy…you knew since we were kits I was meant to be deputy…I'm showing Echostar that I need to be the deputy instead of that mouse brained Barkstalker!"

"You're only caring about trying to impress Echostar so she'll let you become deputy?! Ravenflight! You have kits! You barely even talk to them anymore! Ever since I had Darkkit, what is going on with you? You're not you…you used to be so kind…so nice and would almost never leave me alone! What happened to the Ravenflight I know?!"

"He's gone! He's dead inside! I don't have a strong son, I cannot be deputy…I cannot teach Whitepaw for he's too young and weak! My blood was destined to become leader, Dawn! Just like my grandfather has!"

"Raven…Whitepaw is one of the cats in all the clans that are trying harder than most normal apprentices do! Rainpaw told me he even practices when it was actually time to go to sleep!"

"Shut up Dawn! Just shut up…I'm going to impress Echostar and become deputy…I'll kill Barkstalker if I have to…"

Dawnmist's mouth widens and gasped with shock,

"Raven! You would never do that!"

Ravenflight's amber eye filled with angered flames but closed and looked away.

"Raven…"

Dawnmist's purr tried to calm the angered warrior,

"You have kits…the most precious thing that Starclan could ever give on this earth. We are blessed with three of these treasures! Just forget about power…just please play with them once in a while. You won't get the chance the moment they turn into warriors. Rainpaw and Whitepaw will soon become warriors eventually, you have to give them love before they'll turn cold."

Her mate's glowing eyes glared and hissed quietly,

"I don't have time."

"Let's go to the gathering everyone!"

Echostar yowled at her clan mates as finally she noticed Ravenflight padding towards her. And soon enough the cats that were chosen to go dashed across the freshly grown grass with beating paws. Rainpaw smiled as she felt the cool breeze of the wind whipping her pelt and laughed with joy as she thought of her first time going to the gathering. 'I hope Echostar mentions about me tonight! I wonder what the other cats would think! I can't wait to meet the other leaders too!' The young she cat taught to herself until Foxpaw accidently stepped on her paw. "Ow!" She hissed with pain at the red apprentice.

"Sorry about that!"

Foxpaw quickly apologized. Rainpaw only rolled her eyes and they both ran in silence for a long time. The clan cats jumped over logs and stones that blocked their way and slimed steep paths towards the gathering. Rainpaw heard the crickets chirping in harmony and the scent of violets and other flowers filled the forest and the long grass move to side by side. Her ears then heard an interesting yowl not too far away and soon enough the scent of other warriors from other territories were filling into her small nose. The young apprentice's sapphire eyes widen with excitement as the four trees were getting clearer each step her paw took. But soon her excitement changed to disappointment as Echostar stopped quickly in the path! The warriors murmured quietly as possible to each other as they noticed their leader glaring at the four trees and other cats that were waiting for them. Rainpaw looked up at her mentor, Birdwing shook her head,

"I don't get why Echostar stopped…"

She must have read her apprentices mind.

"What's going on with Echostar?"

She heard Foxpaw whispering with curiosity. Ravenflight was the one who asked their leader with his deep voice quite sharp,

"Why have we stopped?"

The leader stood silently still and for a long moment it looked as if she was not breathing at all.

"Echostar, what is troubling you?"

Barkstalker asked calmly. The leader seemed to have woken up from a deep sleep,

"Oh? It's nothing…sorry everyone, I thought I just saw something, that's all. Well,"

Her tail pointed towards the four trees,

"We should be going now."

Rainpaw tilted her head but felt her paws skimming across the shorter grass that decorated the dusty earth. 'What happened?' She thought to herself uneasily, 'Did Echostar have a vision? But I thought only medicine cats can have visions!' Her inner voice argued in her head but was shattered when Birdwing nudged her with her skinny brown paw. The moment Rainpaw snapped out from her thoughts she heard herself silently squealing with excitement! The four trees were lightened up with small fireflies and stars which looked like small spots of snowflakes floating in the air. The four trees looked taller and older than most of the trees and had large branches where some of the cats or leaders could sit or clime. There were a few large rocks around but it looked like ancient temples decorating the scene.

"This is so amazing! It looked better than I thought it would be!"

Birdwing giggled,

"You have much more to see later on. This is only the beginning."

The Stoneclan warriors seemed to be the last clan to arrive for the other clan cats seemed quite bored.

"Echostar, you seemed to be a bit late,"

Breezestar meowed with his large white paws was hidden by his great big tail. Echostar nodded back in respect, "I am sorry to all of you, I had to make sure everyone was ready to leave."

Echostar turned back to face her clan and then back at the strong warrior,

"Shall we begin out meeting? I have so much to say."

The Swiftclan leader turned his head to face the other two leaders, Seastar nodded with her orange fur burning in the night while Icestar only purred with his charming voice in agreement. The Swiftclan leader turned to face the Stoneclan leader,

"I think we're ready."

Seastar cleared her voice, her green eyes filled with pride before she spoke,

"As my clan know, we are now having plenty of fish to eat ever since leaf bare has finally left us. I also like to mention that there is a new member of our powerful clan, Fishkit. I have very high hopes for the kit. She will be the perfect addition to our clan for she is a strong kit and she is not half clanned or blind."

She glanced at the other cats and purred with her head high,

"For Waveclan always have the perfect warriors."

The Waveclan warriors and apprentices yowled with pride to their leader as their leader grinned and nodded towards Breezestar,

"You may speak."

The Swiftclan leader nodded back in respect and jumped on top of a big stone, his tail curled in a perfect angle to show his powerful legs.

"We also have started to get more prey. Unfortunately one of our elders did not made it through leaf bare. We honor him for serving my clan ever since I was young. I also picked a new deputy, Frozenleaf. Our recent leader Whitefang was killed by a group of fox that charged into one of our hunting groups a few moons ago. My clan lost a few cats, but in return other strong cats replaced those empty spots. Starclan blessed us with a kit, Flamekit. He will be strong like our ancestors."

The leader stopped speaking and glanced at the clans who were silent and he finally nodded to Echostar. Echostar sat down on a large log that was not too far away from the stone,

"My clan is doing quite well. We finally have a new kit who finally opened her eyes just like Snowkit, her name is Darkkit, she is still a curious kit but will soon enough be an apprentice with Snowkit. My apprentices Foxpaw, Rainpaw, Boltpaw and Whitepaw will be getting their warrior names very soon. Ashpaw will also be getting her new name, and she will soon be an advanced medicine cat. We still have problems though,"

She glared at Icestar,

"One of my warriors told me he spotted a couple of Frozenclan cats crossing the borders and was hunting in Stoneclan territory!"

Immediately the Frozenclan cats hissed at the leader for they did not agree.

"We didn't cross the borders!"

One cats shouted.

"Why would our kind cross to Stoneclan? You filthy cats only eat birds and squirrels!"

Another cats hissed with furry. The Stoneclan cats hissed back at the other warriors for they hissed at their leader.

"You filthy lying fox faces crossed out territory!"

Spottedfang hissed at the Frozenclan cats.

"My father would never let out warriors cross your filthy Stoneclan scum territory!"

Silverpaw who was filled with anger yowled at the full grown warrior. Icestar stood calm, even though his eyes were now narrow and his ears were flatten,

"My clan would never do such a thing. My clan is loyal to the warrior code!"

"Icestar, I know your warriors, they would sneak into Stoneclan territory and sneak away with our prey! This problem has been going for moons Icestar, ever since we were kits!"

Echostar meowed back at the leader as her voice got harder and harder. The other leaders were glancing at each other, but not sure what to really do but stayed calm.

"Icestar, you better warn your warriors to stay away from Stoneclan territory! If I hear this nonsense again, I will have to make my warriors attack your cats immediately with no mercy. But if you go on with this, I'll just have to allow them to use death blows! My clan needs prey as much as anyone here! My clan is flourishing with apprentices and kits, and they need the prey! And I won't let them grow week because a bunch of selfish Frozenclan cats…that only care for themselves…"

The Frozenclan leader jumped quickly on all four paws and hissed with his claws unsheathed,

"If you dare use a death blow on any of my cats!"

He jumped onto the same log that Echostar was sitting on and came very close to her, his nose almost touching hers,

"I will take a life from you! Or two!"

The Stoneclan cats gasped but their gasp soon turned into yowls and hisses at the Frozenclan leader. Echostar's voice raised,

"Oh, so this is how you want things to be Icestar?!"

Her eyes flared with icy flames,

"Then so be it!"

Echostar jumped onto a tree, her claws digging into the bark as she swiftly climbed on top of the tree,

"From this day on Stoneclan will attack Frozenclan cats, with DEATH blows! We will not show mercy unless they are kits or very young apprentices, but if not…we'll have to kill them

She turned to the Frozenclan leader and his clan,

"Thanks to the greedy leader your clan seems to have…his greediness will only own his clan dead cats!" Icestar's eyes flamed and hissed, he ran towards the tree but was blocked off by Seastar, her eyes widen with shock,

"If this means war, I will not accept this!"

Seastar glanced at Echostar then back at Icestar,

"Both of you should quit it! You both do not have TRUE evidence about this! Echostar,"

She turned to the Stoneclan leader,

"The cat who told you this might be lying, not all warriors in a clan can be honest and loyal, there are backstabbers…at least one in every clan."

Echostar glared but looked away. The Waveclan leader turned to face Icestar,

"Icestar, same goes to you! You might think your warriors might be honest with the warrior code! Sorry to say, but your clan IS known for lying and stealing. You have to make this stop."

Icestar hissed and his eyes glowed,

"So are you telling us to not believe our own warriors?!"

"I didn't mean by that,"

Seastar's ears flatten,

"I meant that you two should just find some evidence and just talk this over then just jumping to conclusions and start a war that might include my clan! My clan is growing stronger, and I will not let any of you two cause my clan to grow weak just because of this!"

The two leaders glared at one another, Echostar lashed her tail,

"Very well…but my cats will attack harshly when they see a FrozenClan cat crossing our borders…"

Icestar glared at the other leader,

"Same goes to my clan. I won't even care if the trespasser's a kit!"

Breezestar narrowed his eyes,

"That would be going against the warrior code mouse brain! Even though you two hate each other, the warrior code must never be broken! Just like how our ancestors did!"

Seastar rolled her eyes in annoyance,

"We will not break the warrior code. This is a problem between you two, so don't think of getting my clan or Breezestar's clan to help you two. Our clan is growing, and we will not be disturbed just because two leaders are arguing over a patch of grass."

Icestar glared at Echostar but glared at the four clans,

"It is settled, Stoneclan and my clan will be going through this unfinished business, we will find out a way sooner or later, but WaveClan and Swiftclan will not interrupt us!"

The clans yowled in agreement, but Rainpaw flattened her ears, in the first time she came to a gathering a fight has broken. 'It was going so well…' she thought to herself. Icestar glared at Echostar one last time and lashed his tail,

"Frozenclan, retreat, we're going back."

The Frozenclan warriors were leaving, but one tom caught Rainpaw's eyes. She almost screamed in shock for he had the exact same pelt as Darkkit! She raised and tilted her ears to get a better way of hearing on what the two toms were talking about.

"Father, but we've only been here a few minutes, the other warriors did not share tongues and…!"

"Another time Greypaw,"

The Frozenclan leader glared right at Rainpaw with narrow eyes. Rainpaw squealed in shock as she noticed the leader was glaring right at her! She felt her body grow solid to the ground and her eyes were wide because she never felt no much pressure and hate were glaring at her! She then heard the leader hiss,

"One of Stoneclan's pesky cats are eavesdropping…"

Greypaw narrowed his eyes, his father budged him to go, but he stayed behind and still stared at Rainpaw with his narrow dark green eyes.

"I…I didn't mean to eavesdrop…"

Rainpaw began, but the tom turned around and ran to catch up with his father. Birdwing's tail touched Rainpaw's shoulder,

"Don't look at him in the eye or eavesdrop Icestar, he can notice you even by a few fox lengths!"

Rainpaw nodded once and turned to face her clan mates, they all seem to be waiting for Echostar's order who was still breathing heavily with narrow angered eyes who was creating a hole in the back of Icestar's cats. Seastar nodded towards her cats,

"Waveclan, let's go."

The WaveClan cats' swift and smooth tails and pelts disappeared without making a sound as they diapered into the woods. Breezestar and Echostar glanced at each other. Breezestar sigh,

"Make sure that those Frozenclan cats don't attack any of your warriors…"

"Thank you for caring Breezestar, but this is none of your concern,"

She turned to face Stoneclan,

"Let's go Stoneclan."

The Stoneclan cats ran towards the bushes and disappeared out of sight. The Swiftclan leader stared off at where Echostar has just been and took a deep breath. Frozenleaf, his deputy meowed at him gently,

"Breezestar, we need to get going…but is there something bothering you?"

"Well…"

He looked up and faced his deputy,

"I'm just worried that cats are going to get hurt,"

he turned back at where Echostar sat,

"And I'm worried that Echostar's going to lose a life just because of it."

"I don't think you'll need to worry about Echostar, she's strong."

"You don't know her that well,"

He shook his head and padded to a corner until he turned his head to face his warriors,

"Swiftclan, the gathering's over…for now."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Darkkit woke up and yawned with a satisfied crack as she stretched herself. She loved the soft moss that made up the kit's den, despite how the apprentices complain that they have to change them almost every day. The young kit looked around and meowed for her mother, she didn't notice or seen her mother at all in the Queen's den! She looked across the room and saw Sunflower cuddling next to Snowkit, it seemed as if they were still asleep. She sigh and padded off, she was growing stronger and her mouth wanted meat, not milk from her mother. It felt like forever having milk from her mother every day. She narrowed her eyes,

"I think I could go out now…"

She looked down at her grey paws and looked out from the den, the sun was rising but she still didn't see her leader or father returning from the gathering. She shook her fur and padded out anyway, she didn't care if she was going to get in trouble by her mother this time, she could defend herself, or that's what she thought at least. The camp seemed very peaceful, but only a few cats were up and guarding the camp, the kit sigh and padded to the middle of the camp, feeling the cool breeze brushing against her fur and whiskers. She was about to close her eyes just before she noticed the fresh kill pile a few fox lengths away from her. she grinned and padded towards it. There were squirrels and birds, and a few voles. She licked her lips and glanced around, just in case someone was looking, 'nobody's around!' She thought to herself excitedly, and her paw reached out for a small jay. Just before her small claws could prick the jay, a big rough paw hit her paw away quickly! The small kit turned around as she gasped but only saw the grumpy old elder Fawneyes. Fawneyes was yawning, her eyes still glaring at her,

"Well, now, trying to sneak and eat prey in the morning, aren't you?"

The young kit was about to apologize but the elder twitched her tail,

"You don't have to say sorry. Just learn to wait for the elders to eat first."

She yawned again as her old decaying jaws snatched a fat squirrel from the fresh kill pile. The grouchy elder glared at the kit while she ate her squirrel, her eyes telling the kit that she was expecting something to happen. The kit had no idea what the elder wanted. Fawneyes yowled in annoyance,

"Well? Aren't you going to say good morning to this elder?!"

The kit's ears perk open and spoke quickly,

"Good morning Fawneyes!"

The elder still glared but rolled her eyes,

"Urgh, kits. When I was your age, I had the most brains out from my litter!"

She tapped Darkkit's head with her paw a bit harshly,

"Use your head to think! You will become an apprentice, right?"

The kit nodded innocently. There was a long time of silence between the two she cats, but the elder broke the silence,

"Well?! Aren't you going to tell me something?! You know I can tell you a lot of things around here!"

"Well…um…when is Echostar coming back? I thought they would be here by then…and do you know where my mother is?"

The elder tilted her head and flatten her ears to think,

"They'll be coming soon, it takes quite a while to come back from the gathering. They…they have things going on,"

The elder sigh and twitched her tail but looked down to the kit,

"Well, I didn't see your mother, but I'm very sure she would not have gone far, she's quite lazy like she's always been…"

The kit tilted her head with curiosity,

"What's do you mean the clans have something going on?"

"It's none of your business!"

The elder spat,

"You're too young to understand anyway. In your age, you just need to worry about your health and strength, not about the clan business…haven't you and Snowkit been playing around yet?"

"We've been playing but it does get boring with her once in a while. I want to fight, explore, and hunt for Stoneclan!"

The elder chuckled,

"You will have to do those things like it or not eventually later on…unless you become a medicine cat."

Her tail pointed to the den that was filled with the scent of herbs not too far away.

"It must be boring…only arranging herbs in that old stinky den…,"

Muttered Darkkit. The elder hissed gently,

"Don't you dare say that job is boring! That job saves out lives around here!"

The kit was about to ask the ancient cat another question, until she heard a yowl coming from the forest, she turned her head quickly and saw Blackheart running towards the camp from the woods.

"Echostar and the others have came back to the gathering!"

The black tom yowled in the camp, making the camp erupt with eager cats that woke up and shot out from the dens. And sure enough the cats that went out for the gathering last night started to fill in the camp, all cats exhausted from the journey. All the cats started to share tongues on what had happened, Fawneyes grinned and padded to a small crowd nearby to share tongues with the other warriors, leaving Darkkit alone. The small kit looked around for any familiar faces that she would recall. She then noticed white fur flashing in front of her and saw her older sister. Rainpaw stood in front of her, her eyes red from the lack of rest.

"Rainpaw!"

Darkkit purred and she ran around under Rainpaw's paws and belly quickly with excitement and later on tried to catch her sister's fluffy tail. Her sister giggled and pinned her sister gently to the ground with one paw,

"You are getting stronger each day. You're perfect to the clan."

Darkkit giggled as she tried to get up.

"When I become an apprentice, you promise to go out hunting with me, will you!"

"Sure, of course I will,"

Her sister purred,

"I'll teach you everything I know, even though I might not be your mentor."

Her little sister squealed in excitement,

"I can't wait to be an apprentice! I just can't wait!"

Her sister grinned, but she turned away and looked behind her, making Darkkit looking at the same direction where her sister was looking at. She noticed her father, his strong muscles still showing, his narrow eyes glaring at each other cat in the clan. Darkkit felt her ears flatten,

"Why is daddy looking at everyone like that Rainpaw?"

"Daddy's having a hard time Darkkit, that's all…"

Her sister meowed quietly and let go of her sister. Darkkit still stayed laying on the ground, looking up at her sister, she saw the sunlight shining above her sister, reflecting her sister's pure white fur. Her sister seemed very beautiful, her bright blue eyes shining like sapphires and her lightly coloured line stopping right on her forehead. Her fur was so pure Darkkit felt as if she was going to turn blind. The young kit felt a pang of jealousy, how she wanted such beautiful fur and clear eyes.

Greypaw felt himself getting tripped by Tigerpaw, and his face falling to the hard ground of Frozenclan camp. He groaned and slowly got up, glaring at the tom with narrow slits of mossy green eyes,

"What was that for?!"

The tom rolled his eyes and hissed with entertainment,

"Oops! Didn't mean to do that, my paw just, oh well, slipped to the side! I guess kitty pets aren't used to looking where their walking…"

Greypaw narrowed his eyes,

"I'm no kitty pet!"

He yowled and his claws were unsheathed. His bully snickered,

"Sure you weren't…Icestar found you dying near out borders when you were only a kit! You were obviously a kitty pet! And kitty pets don't belong here!"

Greypaw looked at his paws, his claws were long, his arms were strong, he trained hard just like these cats in his camp!

"But it's not my fault that I…!"

The other tom rolled his eyes,

"Just go off and cry to your two legs! It would be easier if you didn't start the fight last night's gathering!" Greypaw's ears flatten,

"I…I wasn't doing anything to our clan!"

Tigerpaw's eyes narrowed and padded away,

"Next time, let proper clan cats like ME do the talking! You're only a loner…or a pathetic kitty pet!"

Greypaw looked down at his paws, his eyes saddened by the conversation, this has been going on for ages…and he didn't really know if he was going to fit in properly. Yes, he wasn't from the clan, but he was trained in the clan and would do anything to protect his clan…just like any other loyal warrior would. He took a deep breath and looked around the clan. The other cats were busy and he saw his mighty father on top of a big log, his eyes looking down at his clan. 'Will I be anything like him?' He thought to himself. His father noticed the tom looking at him and grinned a little bit and nudged his tail to let his son to know to come sit next to him. His step son obeyed, padding quietly across the camp and leaped and landed soundlessly next to his father. He dipped his head before he dared to sit down, with his tail around his paws.

"I've noticed you've been worrying a lot my son,"

His father meowed, his voice deep and serious. He did not looked at his son, neither did his son looked at him. "I was…I was just worried if Echostar would hurt you father, you only have five lives left…"

"Five lives is good enough!"

He hissed at his son quickly, his fangs glowing. His eyes narrowed as his face was closer to his son,

"I am not a weakling! Five lives is good enough! You know my son, that I can KILL with ease!"

He showed his son his long and deadly claws. His son's voice grew quiet and looked down,

"I…I know father. But what if Stoneclan…"

"Stoneclan cannot defeat Frozenclan! If they try, they'll all be DEAD!"

The leader was getting angry by the fact his son was worrying about how many lives he had left. His father sigh,

"I'm sorry…I didn't mean to yell."

Greypaw looked up at his father,

"No…it's my fault that I brought the subject up…"

His father glanced at his step son but looked away and sigh,

"You'll be a great warrior Greypaw…and will follow my foot steps to become leader of Frozenclan. I know you can handle it."

Grey paw sigh and looked at his father, his father was built strong, he was muscular, handsome and very sly. Why would he ever worry about his father? He had five more lives anyway…but five lives seem very short to Greypaw. Even though he only had one life.

"Father, Do you think I'm ready to become a warrior soon?"

Icestar glanced at his son with narrow blue eyes but was silent for a few moments. Greypaw felt his father was not very sure about him, he was lean, he was the runt from the rest of the clan, Tigerpaw told him.

"I guess you are son…"

Greypaw's eyes widen,

"Are…are you serious?"

Icestar grinned and nodded once as his son was grinning from ear to ear.

"So is your sister…well, you might as well go off now, I think Silverpaw wants to talk to you,"

His father nodded towards Silverpaw who was looking at them with narrow suspicious eyes. Greypaw bowed in respect to his father before he ran off excitedly towards his sister. Icestar chuckled to himself as he heard his son shout towards his sister,

"Silverpaw! Silverpaw! I have great news!"

He said. The leader calmly looked towards his two children and smiled at the memory when they were just new born. He chuckled to himself once again until a deep serious voice interrupted him,

"Icestar,"

The leader turned around and meet eyes with his deputy, Scarface. His deputy was glancing at Greypaw and he was not smiling.

"What is it Scarface?"

Icestar asked with his suspicious voice. Scarface faced towards his leader, first bowing, but did not sit.

"Icestar, I wouldn't really trust Greypaw…"

The great grey and white leader glared at him, but was still silent.

"You see…Greypaw as you can notice is quite, well what should I say…different."

His leader was still silent, but his face was getting darker and darker.

"And is being different a bad thing?!"

His leader hissed to him.

"Well, if I have to be honest, yes it is. Greypaw is a great hunter even though he quite acts strange. He's not the aggressive type like a normal Frozenclan cat should."

The deputy's amber eyes glowed as he still stared at his leader, waiting for a response.

"So you think he has a curse?"

His leader asked quite calmly. His deputy nodded once,

"If you hadn't noticed Icestar your 'step son' has a strange swirl on his left shoulder…almost looking like a birth mark."

"I have a birth mark too Scarface…and nothing's wrong with it! Get back to your post before I find another deputy that does not complain about his cats!"

The deputy grunted but bowed once and padded off.

Dawnmist padded side by side against Lillyflower. She had been collecting moss with the medicine cat to forget all the stress about Ravenflight to wash away from her. It was working in a way, but the pain was still in her heart. They were now nearby Waveclan territory, where most of the rivers were flowing and the moss was growing constantly. They never had to worry about the lack of moss. The streams were flowing steadily down the sides of the rocks and Dawnmist noticed a few patch of fresh moss growing not too far away. She slowly padded towards the moss and with her jaws scrapped the moss from the rocks.

"I think we're getting a lot of moss and herbs now…thank Starclan it's soon going to be green leaf!" Lillyflower meowed with her voice high pitched and happy. Dawnmist turned around and smiled at the medicine cat with her jaws filled with moss. Lillyflower pointed her tail right next to her, letting Dawnmist to know to bring the moss right next to her. Dawnmist padded towards Lillyflower, her paws splashing as she stepped into the shallow water. Lillyflower was closing her eyes and purring when Dawnmist put the moss right next to her as she was told. She turned to the cream coloured she cat with a funny grin on her face,

"Why are you purring like that Lillyflower? It's like as if you've found a tom."

Lillyflower glanced at Dawnmist,

"Oh! I was just purring because I like how the breeze blows against my fur…not to mention I enjoy listening to the streams, they make such beautiful noises."

The black queen tilted her head,

"You're talking as if you're from Waveclan."

The medicine cat chuckled,

"I sometimes wish I was…I always admired how graceful they walk, not to mention the cats there have beautiful pelts. But Stoneclan is still my home. I always know where I belong…"

She looks down at the stream, the water reflecting her reflection. Dawnmist looked at the stream also and also saw her reflection,

"What do you mean by that?"

"Well,"

Lillyflower turn to face her friend,

"Even though how many times I look at this stream, I always see the same cat…me. And I always know that the cat I'm looking at was born and raised to Stoneclan. I was destined to be here…each and every one of us has a destiny."

Dawnmist looked back at her reflection,

"Even though the cat's a queen?"

The medicine cat nodded once,

"A queen's destiny is to take care of her kits…by the way, have you taken care of Darkkit? I just noticed that you left the den with Darkkit not by your side."

Dawnmist nodded,

"I know, Sunflower told me she would keep an eye on her…I just want some fresh air for myself. I miss being a warrior, way before I was interested in Ravenflight…"

Lillyflower sigh,

"You remember how I've been jealous about you and Ravenflight being together?"

Dawnmist giggled,

"Oh yes I do remember. You would always try to separate us when we were sitting side by side."

The medicine cat chuckled and nodded,

"Well, those were days when we were just apprentices, now we're full grown cats that need to worry about our clan."

The black she cat nodded in agreement, still looking at her reflection, her white ears and paws glowing from her black pelt.

"Lillyflower, do you think I should have mated with Ravenflight to have Darkkit? Ravenflight seems…different."

The medicine cat was about to get the moss that they collected but froze and faced her friend.

"He's just like that…he'll get over it. He's just angry that he didn't have a strong son that he wanted, more maybe he's just stressed about the lack of territory on Stoneclan. You and I both know we're losing territory rapidly. We just need more warriors...and I wish I could be able to bear a few kits, if I was even allowed to!" The medicine cat looked away quickly as she noticed she yowled at the last sentence. She grabbed most of the moss and padded away, leaving Dawnmist to look at the disappearing cream pelt. Dawnmist sigh and looked up at the sky

, "You and I knew she wanted kits…it was her dream to become a mother. Even when I thought of having kits I wasn't that desperate and wanting to have kits like Lillyflower did, but you ruined it…it's not fair Starclan."

The sky answered her with a quiet breeze but nothing else. The black queen sigh and padded away, going back to the camp with the rest of the moss clenched tightly in her small jaws.

A small black paw with little claws clawed the feather that was floating lazily around the Queen's den. Darkkit missed by a full mouse length as she fell back to the ground, falling face first back into her moss nest. Snowkit squealed with laughter as she saw her friend's face covered in little bits of moss from her nest.

"You jump funny!"

The white kit teased her friend.

"You couldn't have done better!"

Darkkit hissed playfully as she leaped on top of her best friend. The two best friends wrestled playfully around the floor, barley caring on how some dirt were being stuck to their fur.

"I am Snowkit! The strongest warrior of all clans! And because I am strong, I shall take that feather!"

Snowkit finally declared as she pinned her friend to the ground. The padded towards the feather until Darkkit tripped her with her tail and got up quickly to get the feather first.

"Hey! That's not fair! Darkkit!"

Darkkit laughed as she flung the feather back into the air and tried to claw it. Snowkit narrowed her eyes as she leaped into the air and catch the feather swiftly before Darkkit's paw dared to touch it. Snowkit twitched her tail, "I get to get the feather!"

She told Darkkit as she glared with narrow blue eyes. Darkkit's ears flatten,

"o…ok."

Snowkit's eyes immediately turned soft and she wrestled with Darkkit again. The two kits laughed and played as a shadow loomed over them, they both looked up and saw Whitepaw. Whitepaw smiled as he saw his little sister purring with excitement to see her brother.

"Whitepaw! Whitepaw! What did you catch today?! Did you kill a fox? Are we going to eat the fox yet?"

Her brother chuckled,

"No Darkkit, I didn't hunted down a fox. And I've told you a million times that we don't hunt foxes. We chase them."

Darkkit's eyes widen,

"You chase them around? Are they really fun to play with?!"

Snowkit rolled her eyes,

"No you mouse brain, he means that he chases them AWAY from our clan!"

Darkkit felt Snowkit hitting her head with her paw quite gently and giggled.

"Whitepaw, are you really going to get your warrior name soon?"

"Of course I am. I'll be getting mine in one moon, same with Rainpaw. And I bet by then you'll get your apprentice's name!"

Snowkit squealed with harmony with Darkkit. Darkkit jumped around the den happily,

"I can't wait! And when I become an apprentice that means I'm one step closer on becoming a warrior!" Snowkit agreed,

"True! And then I'll become leader of Stoneclan!"

Snowkit purred with pride. The two other cats looked at each other and faced back to Snowkit with an uneasy face.

"What? Did I said something wrong?"

She asked suspiciously. Whitepaw laughed,

"No Snowkit, it's nothing. Everyone has a chance on becoming the new deputy anyway. Anyone of us in this room could be the next leader of Stoneclan."

Darkkit thought that sentence over in her head again, 'anyone in this room could be the next lead of Stoneclan…' She daydreamed at the thought of her becoming the new leader, receiving her nine lives as she yowled with pride over her clan. She could just imagine it…her being strong and beautiful, fighting for territory and for pride over her clan. She could imagine how everyone chanted her name…'Darkstar! Darkstar!" Every cat in her clan chanted her name. And Starclan cats would be watching over her with pride. 'It would be so amazing to become a leader of a clan…' She thought to herself again. Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard a familiar sound coming towards the Queen's den. The paw steps were almost like a drum beat. She could tell who was coming, it was her mother! Whitepaw must have heard it too, but was heading for the exit of the den as quickly as possible, almost as if he was in a rush. The white tom and his mother slightly bumped into each other, they both grunted softly.

"Oh! Sorry Dawnmist…"

Whitepaw meowed, hi mother only smiled,

"It's ok Whitepaw, it's not your fault."

Whitepaw only sigh and padded away, brushing away from his mother quietly. Dawnmist's ears flatten and glanced at the two other kits then noticed Sunflower who was still in the same spot where she last seen her, sleeping. The black queen rolled her eyes and glanced back at the two kits,

"Do any of you know what is wrong with Whitepaw?"

The two kits glanced at each other but shook their heads slowly. Darkkit purred quietly as her mother gathered her into her paws,

"Mama…is daddy still angry at me?"

Dawnmist's eyes widen and stared quickly down at Darkkit, Darkkit was looking back at the queen with big sad green eyes.

"Who…who told you he was angry Darkkit?"

Darkkit murmured,

"He glares at me all the time…"

Dawnmist licked her daughter's head,

"It's ok Darkkit, it's not a big deal. Daddy's just being grumpy…"

Darkkit stayed still as her mother silently started to wash her face that was covered with bits of moss.

Whitepaw glared down at his paws, angered on what had happened on that very morning. He could still remember it…because it only happened a few minutes ago.

He was padding around Stoneclan borders as he noticed a Swiftclan cat crossing their territory. He hissed at him,

"Back off you filthy Swiftclan cats! You are crossing Stoneclan territory!"

His mentor stood back, his eyes narrowed. The Swiftclan warrior hissed back with amusement,

"What would an apprentice know anything? Apprentices doesn't know anything special…especially when there from Stoneclan! And your mentor here does not seem to care that much!"

Sorrelleaf twitched his tail,

"We do not want to fight, Move out of Stoneclan territory, now. Or we'll have no choice but to attack you."

The Swiftclan cat only hissed and purred with amusement, flexing his brown paws as he narrowed his green eyes with amusement.

"You can't move me!"

"Don't you know the warrior code? You must follow it!"

The cream Swiftclan cat hissed,

"But my clan needs more moss!"

Whitepaw shouted at the full grown cat,

"Then you should have made your medicine cat meet with the other medicine cats to trade their herbs! Not come into our territory and try to steal!"

The Swiftclan cat rolled his eyes,

"Well, you Stoneclan cats were noticed to be quite whining, but would it even matter now? Your territory is shrinking rapidly anyway, soon enough your whole camp will be for Swiftclan warriors! Your clan is weak, you can just tell by how much your territory has shrunken!"

This angered the white apprentice, how dare that cat teased about his clan! Anger build quickly inside him, he leaped and pinned the warrior to the ground, but the warrior was quick, he kicked the apprentice off from him and clawed his left ear, leaving a very thin scar mark. The apprentice fell to the ground, his mentor quickly running to him, checking his scratch.

"I'm…I'm fine."

Whitepaw muttered to Sorrelleaf. The tom didn't thought so though, he glared at the Swiftclan warrior, striking him right in the face, leaving a long scar across his face. The other warrior clawed towards his attacker's face but Sorrelleaf ducked in time and charged right into the cream coloured warrior, sending the warrior to the ground with a loud yowl of shock. The Swiftclan warrior was shocked, laying still on where he was standing as he gasped as he felt blood running down his forehead. Sorrelleaf narrowed his eyes,

"Go!"

He yowled,

"Unless if you want to feel more of my claws on your face!"

The Swiftclan warrior's ears flatten and his tail went between his legs,

"You…you won't get away with this Stoneclan! You will be destroyed!"

The cream colored cat ran off quickly, disappearing into the long grass. Whitepaw got up to his paws and looked up to his mentor with pride,

"Wow! Sorrelleaf! That was just amazing! You actually stunned that mouse brained cat! I'm so happy that you are my mentor, could you teach me how to do that?!"

His proud smile quickly turned into a frown as he noticed his mentor glaring down at him with disappointment. "Sor…Sorrelleaf? You ok?"

His mentor only glared down at him in silence but finally spoke,

"You should have never started that fight Whitepaw."

Whitepaw was confused,

"But…but he was teasing our clan! I had to stand up for it and…!"

His mentor quickly interrupted his sentence,

"You were going to do death blows!"

Whitepaw flattened his ears.

"I…I…"

Sorrelleaf slashed his tail for silence,

"You must control yourself Whitepaw! Death blows are only used in battles! Also…"

Hi mentor was furiously angry at his apprentice,

"You could have caused a war right just there! If you killed that cat, you would have made Swiftclan furious and they would have attacked into our camp…they would have done anything to get us! I tell you again, do NOT use death blows! Only a fox brain would use that!"

Whitepaw felt a pang of guiltiness, 'it's not my fault that I quickly get angry…' He thought to himself quietly.

Whitepaw looked quietly at a falling leaf, it was green, falling slowly towards the ground. He felt a quick rush of rage of what happened to him that morning about the Swiftclan warrior and of how his mentor yelled at him about his temper, he felt his claws unsheathe, his legs leaped into the air, and he clawed the leaf in half.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

The gentle breeze brushed against the grey she cat as she narrowed her eyes as the same cat that she meet several moons ago reappear to her face.

"Echoheart, we meet again…"

The white tom purred as he brushed against her body.

"Breezetail…I missed you so much…"

The grey she cat purred as she brushed under the tom slowly, she loved the feeling of his soft short fur brushing against her face. They both stood still in silence, gazing into each other eyes with burning cheeks as they noticed that their bodies were very close to each other's.

"Echoheart,"

The Swiftclan deputy said,

"Our clans will be going to battle…I'm worried that one of my cats will hurt you."

Echoheart only purred,

"I'll be fine…as long as we still be together, nothing bothers me…"

A sharp poke woke up Echostar from her dream, she glanced up to see Fawneyes, who has narrowed her eyes with annoyance,

"Echostar! You should have been awaken since sun rise! The clan is waiting for your orders!"

The elder told her leader. Echostar's ears flatten,

"I'm sorry Fawneyes,"

she padded towards the exit of her den but then turned and bow to the elder in respect,

"I am glad to have someone wise like you."

The elder only smiled,

"It's nothing really. I'm just trying to get my clan moving as fast as possible."

The leader nodded once and stepped out to face her clan. She must have been sleeping for a very long time, the whole clan cats glanced at her and murmured.

"Why is Echostar so late?"

She heard one of her warriors ask quietly to another warrior.

"She's never awaken this late before…"

Another whispered to another cat. Echostar did her best to ignore all these whispers. She jumped swiftly on top of her den, the normal place she would sit to announce to her clan. She sat there for a few silent moment, looking down at her clan, she knew it was time for the kits to be apprentice, Ashpaw and Lillyflower mentioned it to her this morning. And by the warrior code Echostar had to follow the rules that her ancestors had followed for many years. She cleared her throat gently and finally opened her mouth,

"All cats that are old enough to catch their prey meet on the high rock for a clan meeting."

She yowled at her clan. Her clan mates all stopped what they were doing. The warriors stopped sharing tongues and turned to face their leader, apprentices stopped training and the medicine cats pocked their heads out from the medicine den. Everyone was silent…as if someone has died. The leader was satisfied by the silence and began,

"We all know that our clan is growing each day. And it is finally the day…the day where our kits will become apprentices! We all knew that this day would come, that we would now have young cats to become great warriors to Stoneclan. With these new cats we will hopefully be able to get back more territory for our clan."

The clan cats meowed to each other in agreement about how the kits were ready to become apprentice.

"I will announce their apprentice names tonight, right after the sun has gone down."

The apprentices seem to be nervous at the thought their leader not mentioning that they will become warriors. Whitepaw looked nervously at his leader, he has trained so hard for this moment, he didn't want to stay as an apprentice any longer, but Echostar must have read his minds.

"I will also be announcing our recent apprentices' warrior names. I will be telling their warrior names right before I announce the kits' apprentices names."

Whitepaw sigh out a breath of relief, and with quite a bit of shock he noticed Echostar turning to him and gazing into his eyes with a smile. Almost as if she knew what he was thinking. The cats stayed longer for their leader to continue. Finally their leader spoke,

"Clan dismiss."

The cats scatter back into their spots that they were in. Whitepaw was whispering to himself over and over, "Echostar actually looked at me into the eyes! She actually looked at me and smiled!"

He murmured and whispered under his breath the same sentence until Rainpaw padded by and stopped as she noticed her brother looking down at his paws and moving his mouth quickly.

"Whitepaw?"

She purred with concern,

"You ok?"

Whitepaw quickly looked up from his paws,

"Oh! Rainpaw!"

His sister raised an eyebrow as she smiled,

"You daydreaming again?"

The apprentice chuckled,

"I guess I am…a bit. I'm just so amazed that we're actually going to be warriors! And Darkkit…finally becoming…Darkpaw."

Rainpaw nodded,

"Yes…I wonder what my warrior name would be. Hopefully I won't have a stupid name like Rainlegs."

Her brother chuckled cheerfully. Whitepaw started to feel less nervous that the fact that his father would be glaring at him with annoyance now. He was sure that his father would be looking up at him with proud eyes. And maybe when they had battles, he would be able to fight right beside him.

Ravenflight twitched his tail as he felt Echostar telling him that his children were to become warriors. He guessed he was supposed to be proud, but at the same time he wasn't. He already know that Echostar would choose another cat besides him if he 'accidently' killed Barkstalker. She would obviously choose Birdwing for her calm nature. He hissed to himself with furry,

"Whenever I think about Echostar choosing another deputy it would always turn out to be another cat! And when I kill that cat, there is another cat that would be chosen as deputy then me!"

He grumbled as he padded away when Echostar announced the clan was dismissed. He glanced up at his kits, Whitepaw and Rainpaw laughed at talked with each other, he grinned slightly. He remembered how he and his brother used to talk and play…just before that dreadful night had happened. Frozenclan cats attacked the camp and killed his brother. If his brother was still alive he would still have been the deputy that everyone was looking up to, he thought to himself. He saw how Whitepaw and Rainpaw laughed and chuckled as Rainpaw hit her brother playfully on the head and started to run towards the woods. Childish…he thought, but still he knew his children were strong in a way to be that energetic. He padded on slowly towards the woods until he was stopped by the same gentle purr that tingled his heart ever since he first heard it when he was given his warrior name. That voice was so sweet he could remember how much he daydreamed about that voice while he was training with his mentor. He glared behind him as his voice came out harsh and cold,

"What do you want from me now Dawnmist?"

Dawnmist's voice was quiet and sounded quite weak,

"I was wondering if…you would come to see your kits turn into warriors."

Ravenflight's eyes harden, "What do you think I am Dawnmist? Of course I would come…!"

He noticed how desperate his mate was, how deep the dark circles were under her light green eyes.

"Oh really?"

She asked, her voice turned quickly sharp with an unconvinced voice,

"Are you really going to come tonight?"

"Dawnmist! Of course I would! I will come tonight, I just need to hunt and look around the borders just in case anything happens…"

"You missed the time where Whitepaw and Rainpaw got their apprentice names…they were quite confused how you didn't show up."

The black tom was about to protest but his mate came to him, her nose almost touching his,

"I know you Ravenflight…you think you're always the best from all of us. I know it's just your personality, but don't think of ruining Darkkit's happiness just like you did to Whitepaw and Rainpaw."

The black tom stood still as he and his mate stared into each other's eyes. His mate's was more of a glare and a warning while his eyes were quite wide with shock on how someone actually came up to him and talked like that. Dawnmist looked away and stomped off towards the queen's den without saying anything to her mate. Ravenflight only glared at her with his narrow eyes, how dare she spoke to him like that! He felt his claws unsheathe at the thought of someone WARNING him to come to an occasion. He glared back to the queen's den, his mate has already went into the den. He muttered under his breath,

"Fox dung…"

And with that he too stomped away so he would not see his annoying wife again.

Scarface smacked Greypaw's head from behind and hissed under his breath as the sky was getting darker,

"Hurry up Greypaw!"

The apprentice huffed and puffed as he tried his best to quickly catch up to his deputy. They have been going around Frozenclan territory nonstop, and Scarface refused to take a single rest.

"Where are we going Scarface?"

The nervous grey tom asked with his big dark green eyes getting heavier and the desire of sleep lurched into him. Silverpaw giggled,

"You know where we're going Greypaw,"

She leaned closer to her brother,

"We're going to chase badgers into the Stoneclan territory! Why else would we've been searching the whole territory for them?"

Greypaw flattened his ears,

"Oh…yeah…"

He glanced up at his sister,

"I think this is a bit dangerous…"

Silverpaw giggled,

"So? Those Stoneclan cats will regret that they ever accused us as crossing territories…they'll lose a couple of cats when we send the badgers charging into their territory!"

The silver she cat purred in amusement. Icestar padded side by side Scarface as he watched his children run off before them,

"Be careful you two! Scarface and I will only demonstrate this to you so you two will know the techniques on how to chase the badger into a certain territory. Understood?"

The mighty leader yowled at his son and daughter, they both turned around and nodded once in agreement. Scarface was sniffing the air, trying to get a glimpse of badger scent that might make them lucky to chase at least three badgers to Stoneclan as a surprise gift. Silverpaw purred at the thought of badgers destroying Stoneclan,

"Ha! I can't wait until the next gathering…they'll be all afraid and scared and would be begging to us for mercy! And maybe even beg for prey!"

Her brother only glared at her slightly, "Silverpaw, I don't think we should be laughing about that, it's quite sad if we think it over…"

"What do you mean sad?!"

His sister shrieked with frustration,

"those cats were rude to us! Urgh! That clan has nothing but kitty pets! All of them will be crow food when they mess with Frozen clan again! You're such a softy Greypaw, you need to learn to do hard things for our clan's power and pride!"

The tom was about to argue but he noticed his deputy glancing at his with narrow suspicious eyes. Greypaw gulped as he thought of the possible things his leader was thinking of. The deputy sniffed the air one last time and turned to face Icestar with a sneer on his face,

"Found them."

Silverpaw purred with glee as her brother only stared at his deputy with wide eyes. He couldn't help thinking of the elders and kits being killed…and the warriors and other cats from Stoneclan. He didn't really admired the clan, but the thing that was really bothering him was that kits and elders would be hurt. He turned quickly to his father as Scarface and Silverpaw padded quickly towards the scent.

"Father?"

His father turned to face his son,

"Yes Greypaw?"

"Are we really going to chase out three badgers to Stoneclan? Shouldn't we just ignore them? I mean, badgers…their quite dangerous and…"

Icestar hissed and pinned his son to the ground. His son gasped in shock as he saw his father's lips curl as he snarled,

"Are you turning soft hearted son? You are my reputation! You shall not show that you are soft hearted to a bunch of mouse brained Stoneclan cats! They will be destroyed! That means more territory for us! You need to grow strong Greypaw, you can't turn into a soft hearted kitty pet that everyone thinks you are! Change!"

Greypaw felt his heart pound as he felt his father putting more pressure into his chest as he was pinned harder to the ground.

"Say after me! Stoneclan will be destroyed! Say it!"

Greypaw only stared at his father with sad eyes,

"Father…"

His father pressed down more weight on the tom's chest, making him wince.

"I said say it!"

Greypaw felt his rib cage starting to creak and crack,

"OK! OK! Stoneclan will be destroyed!"

The heavy weight was lifted off from his chest as he gasped for air, but he felt a paw hitting his face. He was fallen to the ground but got up quickly as he can as he looked up at his father. His father glared at him with icy blue eyes,

"Don't you ever try to show mercy to a kitty pet clan…that clan is filled with soft hearted rats! Do you understand me?! If you act like a kitty pet one more time I will make Scarface feed you to the fox! Of course, he'll have to kill you painfully for disobeying my orders!"

His father's fur was on end, standing and shivering violently. His son only nodded,

"Ok father…ok…"

His father ran off without looking back. Greypaw looked down at his paws, the pressure was still on his chest, he felt depressed on all the thoughts how people thought he was weak and useless. His father seems to hate him nowadays, so he needs to impress him before he might be kicked out from the clan, which he did not wanted to happen. He hissed to himself and ran off to catch towards his group before he lost sight of them.

Ashpaw looked at the herb storage, they had plenty of moss and cobwebs, but they were running out of catnip. Lillyflower smiled as see noticed how concentrated her apprentice was on counting the items that they had in the medicine den.

"You can stop counting them now Ashpaw, I'll take it from there."

She purred gently. Her apprentice's eyes shot towards her,

"What? But…Lillyflower, I think I can count more, I mean, you're very busy and…"

Her mentor only giggled,

"I said it's ok, I'm a medicine cat too you know."

The apprentice sigh and padded off towards the corner of the medicine den. Her mentor tilted her head to a side, "What's wrong Ashpaw…? You don't seem happy like you normally are…"

"Oh…It's nothing Lillyflower, it's just…"

Her mentor lashed her tail,

"Tell me Ashpaw, I can help you."

Her apprentice only shook her head and looked down at her shivering dark grey paws,

"You wouldn't understand…"

She muttered under her breath as quietly as she could so her mentor could not hear what she whispered. Lillyflower sigh,

"Ashpaw, please tell me, I'll try my best to understand…"

The medicine cat meowed with concerned eyes looking at her apprentice.

"Ok, but this is a secret between you and me, ONLY! Please don't tell anyone! Please keep it top secret!"

Her apprentice begged as her ears flattened on her head. Her mentor only raised an eye,

"Ok…I will."

Her tail touched her apprentice's shoulder,

"I promise."

She purred gently. The dark grey she cat finally said,

"I…I think I'm growing feelings for Foxpaw…"

Lillyflower froze as she felt her jaw opening with shock,

"Ashpaw…you…you know that…"

She struggled to find the right words to tell her apprentice. Ashpaw looked away and stomped off towards the exit of the den,

"I know what you're going to say ok? It's against the warrior code, I know! I know! I just…it's unfair that I can't raise and have my own family just because of the warrior code!"

The mentor was about to say something, but didn't choose to speak as she watched her apprentice pad away in silence. Ashpaw felt tears forming in her eyes as she thought deeper into the fact that she could not have kits because of a simple rule. She was going to turn back into her den until she heard a laugh not too far away. The medicine cat apprentice turned her head to the noise and noticed Snowkit laughing as Darkkit was buried alive under mountains of prey in the food pile.

"AH! Snowkit! Save me! Their eating me alive!"

Darkkit shouted to get help from her small white friend. Snowkit shook her head and only giggled,

"But Darkkit! It's so funny!"

She laughed louder and harder each as each moment past. The other cats didn't seem to care and noticed as they paw by the two kits.

"Snowkit! It's not funny anymore! This prey is crushing me!"

Ashpaw rolled her eyes as she smiled and padded to the rescue. She pushed away the prey that was burying her small friend gently as Darkkit made her way out to safety. Darkkit glared as Snowkit was still laughing at her, "Hey! It was not that funny!"

Her friend still laughed as she rolled around the grass. Darkkit hissed and leaped onto her friend as she started to wrestle with her friend. Snowkit was squealing,

"Ouch! Darkkit, get off me, you're hurting me!"

Darkkit only hissed as she wrestled harder, Ashpaw immediately pulled them apart,

"You two shouldn't be fighting."

She glanced at the kits with narrow eyes, she caught Snowkit sticking out her tongue to Darkkit and Darkkit muttering under her breath.

"You two are friends, and friends shouldn't be fighting. Now, what are you guys doing out here now?"

Darkkit turned to face the apprentice,

"Well, Snowkit and I were both hungry so we decided to go get out own prey. Mama told me that we were soon going to be apprentice, so we both thought we are old enough to go get our own prey without trouble. Until…" She glared at her white friend,

"She pushed the food pile towards me for fun and buried me alive with it!"

Ashpaw only giggled as she glanced at the two kits,

"You two will learn how to get your own prey very soon…but not just yet. You two will still be kits until sundown. But after Sundown, you will become true apprentices of the clan."

Darkkit and Snowkit's eyes were shining with admiration as they thought of them receiving their apprentice names. They imagined themselves on top of the high rocks by Echostar as the clan chanted their names. The two kits turned around to hear the sound of snickering as they slowly focused back to the real world. Boltpaw was covering his mouth from bursting out laughing as he mimicked,

"You will become true apprentice of the clan!"

In a high pitched voice as he tried to pretend as if he was a she cat. Ashpaw growled at the apprentice,

"What do you want now Boltpaw?"

She narrowed her eyes with annoyance as the ginger tom padded slickly towards the three she cats.

"Well let's see,"

He purred as he sneered,

"How can these kits become the 'true apprentices'? Their nothing but kits, weak kits too."

His claws unsheathe as he revealed his sharpen claws,

"When you kits become apprentices, I'll enjoy seeing you two even try to become the best warrior of the clan." He leaned closer to the kits,

"You'll have to survive my deadly claws to become the best leader of Stoneclan."

He purred as he looked down at his claws with pride. Darkkit's head was high and her serious dark green eyes stared back at the tom,

"I will try to become the best leader of Stoneclan, even though it means fighting your pretty claws. Mama said a true warrior would never fight for power."

Boltpaw rolled his eyes but narrowed his eyes as he crouched down to level with the kit,

"Listen here Darkkit. When you think you can even beat me in battle, then you really are mouse brained, you know that I'm the toughest apprentice here, don't you kit?"

The tom hissed at the kit as Darkkit turned quickly nervous as she thought of her flesh being scraped by those claws. Ashpaw flattened her ears,

"Don't try messing with them Boltpaw, are you really going to waste your claws getting dirty just to harm two kits?"

The medicine cat meowed as Boltpaw got back to his height and padded away, but before he did he spat on the kits,

"Don't even think of trying to be the best apprentice and later on the best warriors of this clan! Because someone else is taking that spot! The moment you do I would watch my back if I were you!"

The moon was high in the sky as the sun was setting closer and closer into the trees beyond. Dawnmist purred as she cleaned her kit's head until her kit was clean to perfection. Darkkit jumped up and down with excitement,

"I can't wait! I can't wait to get my apprentice name!"

She squealed as her mother groomed her with a gentle smile. Snowkit was complaining to her mother,

"Ewww! Mama! You're smearing all your spit on me! It's disgusting! I'm going to smell when I get my apprentice name!"

Sunflower narrowed her eyes to her daughter,

"Hush! I want you to look your best when you get your apprentice name! You will also be getting your mentors soon also, so I want you to behave yourself, understood? Your father will be right next to Echostar, remember to keep your head high with pride, remember, be proud."

Snowkit rolled her eyes,

"Fine mama, fine. I get it."

Snowkit looked at Darkkit as her friend giggled as she made faces as her mother licked her pelt. Whitepaw and Rainpaw came bouncing into the Queen's room as quick as two wild squirrels,

"Mom! It's time for us to get our names! We must go!"

The two young cats purred and meowed to their mother as Darkkit looked very excited. The two cats announced just in time as they all heard their leader's echoing voice throughout the camp,

"All cats old enough to catch their prey gather around for a clan meeting! We have special announcements!" Darkkit turned up to look at her mother who was looking back at her with a smile,

"This is it Darkkit, tonight's your night. Be proud and show your father how proud you are on finally becoming an apprentice."

Darkkit meowed in agreement and chased after Snowkit who followed her two older siblings. The clan cats were all gathered around the high rock. All the cats were looking down at their apprentice and kits with pride. Echostar had serious eyes that night but her sweet smile brightened up the dark night. 'This was it,' Darkkit thought, 'I'm finally going to grow up and be strong!'

Whitepaw looked up from the crowd, the time had came as he heard his leader yowl into the sky,

"Foxpaw, Boltpaw, Whitepaw and Rainpaw please step forward!"

The four young cats made their way to the front of the high rock, Echostar looking before them. Whitepaw felt his heart skip a beat as he felt the final day that he had been waiting for many moons had finally come. Echostar smiled as she faced Foxpaw,

"Foxpaw will you serve Stoneclan with all your life? Will you be loyal to the clan?"

Foxpaw nodded once,

"Yes Echostar."

The grey she cat nodded once as she looked up into the sky and to the stars,

"Calling up to my warrior cat ancestors, from this day on Foxpaw will be known as Foxstrike!"

The tom held up his head high as the leader touched his nose gently. The clan chanted his name several times until their leader called up the other apprentice one by one, each apprentice becoming a warrior. Boltpaw became Bolttail, Whitepaw became Whitefire and Rainpaw became Rainmist. The young warriors padded back to sit by their family and clan mates as the clan cats congratulated them for their success. Echostar lashed her tail for silence,

"Now, As we all know it is time for us to give out kits their apprentice names. Darkkit and Snowkit please step forward."

The two kits padded towards their leader in their quickest pace so they could quickly get their apprentice names. The clan cats chuckled and giggled as they saw how eager the kits looked to get their apprentice names. Darkkit tripped and fell face first in front of Echostar. The leader chuckled,

"Are you ok there Darkkit?"

Darkkit rubbed her nose,

"Yes, I'm fine."

The leader nodded once and turned to face Snowkit,

"Snowkit, will you serve the clan with all your life? Even through the darkest of times?"

The kit nodded quickly as the leader smiled,

"Good, Calling up to my warrior ancestors, from this day on Snowkit will be known as Snowpaw!"

The clan cats shout out chanting as they honored the new apprentice.

"Your mentor this day on will be Spottedfang."

The two cats touched nose to nose in respect as the clan was hushed for finally it was Darkkit's turn to get her apprentice name.

"Darkkit, Will you serve the clan with all your life no matter how hard the times will become?"

Darkkit looked up at her leader,

"Of course I will!"

She squeaked to her leader. The leader nodded once,

"Calling up to my warrior ancestors from this day on Darkkit will be known as Darkpaw,"

The clan went wild as their leader talked over them,

"Your mentor will be Barkstalker."

The crowd went wild as Darkkit's eyes widen with disbelief, she was to be trained by the deputy of Stoneclan! Her nose was touched to her new mentor, the muscular deputy,

"Hello Darkkit, I am Barkstalker and I will enjoy being your mentor."

They looked at each other in silence as they finally faced towards Echostar,

"Clan meeting dismissed!"

She yowled and the day ended.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Snowpaw nipped her friend's ear as it was finally sun rise. Her friend was groaning as she rolled around her nest,

"Snowpaw, quit that!"

Her white friend snickered,

"Fine, but you have to wake up, I think Spottedfang and Barkstalker are waiting for us right outside! And I don't want to be late!"

She nudged her friend to wake up once again and finally the dark she cat sigh and stood up. She glanced up at Snowpaw and noticed how excited she was. Darkpaw rolled her eyes as she yawned and stretched her body as she purred. Snowpaw raced towards the exit of the apprentice den,

"Come on sleepy head! Let's get moving!"

The two young she cats ran out from the apprentice den and felt the cool breeze blowing under their fur. The two apprentices looked around their camp, a few cats were out and the sun was finally rising from the trees. Snowpaw was grinning with satisfaction on how early they woke up while Darkpaw glanced at her friend as if she was crazy,

"you crazy? Not many cats have woken up and we're only apprentices! Great…just great, you woke me up for nothing!"

Just as Darkpaw complained the two apprentices noticed their deputy jumping off from a tall oak tree and padding towards their way,

"You were saying Darkpaw?"

He purred in amusement as Darkpaw blushed in embarrassment,

"No…nothing Barkstalker."

Snowpaw smiled,

"Papa! Is Spottedfang awake?! I NEED to train with him! Wake him up please! Papa! Wake him up!"

Snowpaw shouted with a high pitched voice as Barkstalker tried to cover her mouth with his skinny tail,

"Hush! Don't try waking up the others!"

But it seemed a bit too late. The warriors slowly grumbled and came out from the warriors den. Fawneyes was screeching from the elder's den,

"Can't I get any peace around this clan! Shut your snouts!"

Barkstalker flattened his ears as his leader came padding out from the den with sleepy eyes.

"What's going on Barkstalker?"

The grey she cat asked with tired eyes. The deputy bowed in respect,

"I am sorry Echostar, Snowpaw and Darkpaw were very excited about today's training."

The leader chuckled,

"Well then, don't just stand there, train your apprentices!"

Barkstalker nodded once as he nudged Darkpaw to follow him. As they padded towards the woods Barkstalker shouted to his daughter,

"Snowpaw! Be sure to behave yourself! Don't let me down!"

Snowpaw shouted back,

"I won't papa! Good luck Darkpaw!"

Darkpaw grinned,

"Good luck to you too Snowpaw!"

They were padding in silence before Fawneyes screeched once again,

"I said shut your snout!"

"Ok, Because today's your first lesson in training I want to tell you a few rules that I would like you to know." Barkstalker meowed as he padded deeper into the woods, but the camp was not too far away. He glanced behind him so his apprentice would catch up. Darkpaw skipped around the slightly taller grass that she was used to, "Oh, Ok! What do I need to know?"

She asked curiously. Barkstalker nodded towards an old Pine tree that was nearby,

"See this tree? From now on I want you to meet me right here. So you won't be shouting and wasting your time searching for me. I'll be right here on sun rise."

Darkpaw looked up at the tall ancient old pine tree, it was very tall. She glanced at Barkstalker,

"Is that all I need to know for now?"

The deputy chuckled,

"Of course not. I have a few other rules too."

He nodded forward, letting Darkpaw know that he wanted her to follow him. They padded deeper and deeper into the woods.

"If I were you I would start looking around so I won't get lost when you're on your own."

His apprentice did as told as she looked around her surroundings. Maple trees and pine trees decorated every corner and rocks and stones scattered everywhere. Her ears prickled as she heard the sound of a trickling stream. Her deputy continued talking,

"While you explore and start hunting by yourself no matter what do not cross territories. It will make a fight break out and we will lose more territory, and we have sure lost enough."

Darkpaw focused back to her mentor,

"What do you mean we had lost enough?"

Her deputy sigh,

"We're losing territory Darkpaw. And I don't want our clan to lose more. How else would we survive like this when leaf bare comes?"

Darkpaw flattened her ears at the thought of her clan starving, but she was never starved before! She was always well feed! The two cats were finally facing a small stream. It was glittering and the trickling of the water was very calm. Darkpaw lowered her head to take a few sip of water before she continued her tour around the territory. The tom stepped across the shallow stream as he continued forward. They were getting deeper into the territory as Darkpaw noticed that there were more streams and rivers flowing around her surroundings. She started to panic at the thought of the forest flooding until her mentor explained where they were,

"We are now near Waveclan territory. Watch your step now, we lost a few cats around here due to the rushing waters."

The she cat glanced around but the waters seem to be calm. The tom must have read her mind,

"Don't underestimate the waters, I almost lost my mate because of these rivers."

Darkpaw nodded once as she stopped next to her deputy and sniffed her surroundings. She smelled new prey, fish. She tilted her head to the side as she smelled these strange smelling prey,

"What's that weird smell?"

"You must be smelling fish. Don't try bother catching them, it is known to taste muddy and awful. Waveclan cats like to eat them though…of course, those cats would eat anything they see."

He chuckled to himself. Darkpaw tilted her head to imagine what the strange prey would taste like,

"Is it true that the Waveclan cats could actually swim?!"

Before her mentor could explain a big splash and yowl surprised both of the cats. Darkpaw felt cold water smearing on her face as she shrieked in fright. She heard snickering and when she opened her eyes she was embarrassed. Not too far away from her a cat was floating in the water and was snickering as another cat was rolling around on a few small pebbles, laughing her head off. The Waveclan tom snickered as he got to join his friend,

"Well, well I think I scared a couple of mouse hearted Stoneclan cats Streamdrop."

The light grey she cat purred in amusement,

"You sure did. That's what they get when they get too close to Waveclan territory."

Darkpaw flattened her ears,

"We weren't going to cross to your territory!"

The light brown tom rolled his eyes,

"Sure you wouldn't. You two just came here to steal our prey!"

Barkstalker rolled his eyes,

"Oh please, as if Stoneclan would want to eat stinking prey and turn into a bunch of cats that has fish breath! Dream all you want. Is that all you cats do in Waveclan? Dreaming?"

The Waveclan tom hissed and unsheathed his claws. Streamdrop stopped him from leaping on Barkstalker though,

"Don't Amurtail, we scared them enough. Besides, the deputy seems to have an apprentice. He's just touring the kit around our territory."

Amurtail muttered something under his breath,

"Fine. Now, you two cats might as well leave now. Before I really dig my claws deep into your pelts."

Darkpaw narrowed her eyes and glared at the light brown tom as she followed her mentor back deeper into Stoneclan territory.

The two cats were running around their territory for a few more hours as Darkpaw noticed a few more changes around her surroundings, this time there were less trees around her while the grass in front of her was growing taller and taller as she got near. Darkpaw did her best to keep her head high but the grass was getting too tall for her. And just before she was lost into the tall grass Barkstalker grabbed her by the scruff and pulled her back to him and put her besides him on a big rock,

"Don't go forward, you were getting too close to the borders of Swiftclan."

Darkpaw looked forward from where she was the tall grass seemed endless as the trees grew fewer and fewer. Darkpaw noticed there were a few cats chasing a rabbit, their pelts barely visible from the tall grass. The young she cat was amazed from only one thing, how amazingly swift and fast they were! She did heard from Fawneyes that they were very fast but hearing about it and actually seeing it made how she imagined it very differently. The scent around her smelled of fresh grass and the scent of rabbits were quite strong. She looked up to face her deputy and noticed that his eyes turned soft and slowly he closed them as the soft breeze blew on them.

"What are you doing Barkstalker?"

She asked with her eyes raised. The big tom meowed,

"When I'm worried, I'll normally come here and sit on this very rock. I call this the rock of mind, because when you sit here when the breeze is blowing, you forget all the stress that is in your head…"

He purrs as the breeze blew a bit harder and made his pelt shiver. Darkpaw closed her eyes and she too felt relaxed, it felt as if the breeze was taking away all the heavy and worried thoughts from her head, it was so calming and she loved the breeze blowing in her fur. She meowed to her leader with a calm voice while her eyes were still shut

, "Barkstalker, whenever I get worried, I'm going to come back to this rock and feel the breeze blowing against my fur…it feels so peaceful."

"I'm glad you like it Darkpaw. This could be a spot for us two for now."

The two cats were on top of the rocks for several minutes until Barkstalker finally stood up and stretched himself. He started to clean his paws as he leaped from the rock,

"Come on Darkpaw, let's head towards Frozenclan this time. And after that, today's training will be over." Darkpaw sigh with disappointment,

"AWW! Does our training already have to end? I was getting excited to learn more!"

The tom chuckled,

"You'll learn more tomorrow. I'll teach you how to hunt tomorrow."

Darkpaw jumped and down in excitement at the thought of finally being able to hunt, this was getting better and better each moment!

Greypaw felt a pang of guilt as he could still remember that very night when he chased the badgers into Stoneclan territory. He barely slept as he dreamed of the sounds of kits and cats screaming with pain and shock because of the badgers. He shook his head several times to forget it…how he clawed the badger's back to chase it away. He was almost been killed until his sister pulled him out of the way just in time when the badger was aiming for his throat. He was awaken from his thoughts as Silverpaw put down a dove in front of him to eat. Silverpaw sat next to him,

"Come on Greypaw, let's eat. You didn't had anything ever since last night. Come on, you need something to eat so you can have energy."

Greypaw sigh and took a bite from his dove. He felt his sister's pelt brushing against his as she also started to eat the dove. The dove tasted plain to him, but he did not spoke and continued eating his prey.

The sun was finally setting and Darkpaw and Snowpaw enjoyed eating their prey from the fresh kill pile.

"Wow, I never knew Spottedfang was such an excellent hunter! He first thought me a few moves on hunting! He's a natural born hunter that cat is…and I think I'm getting interested in him…he's so attractive and prefect at hunting!"

She giggled as Darkpaw still day dreamed about the soft breeze that blew in her fur. She snapped out in time just when her friend asked her a question,

"So how was your training this morning? I bet you were impressed by my dad's fighting skills yet! He's so strong he can take down five foxes if he wanted to!"

She meowed with her head high.

"Oh well, we actually had pretty good day. I mean, we looked around the clan territory."

Snowpaw nodded as she listened to all the details on how the different territories looked like. The two she cats giggled and chuckled as they padded towards the apprentice den. Snowpaw snuggled into her nest as she yawned,

"Anything else happened besides touring around the territories?"

Darkpaw remembered the two warriors she meet near Waveclan territory,

"Actually yes. I meet these two warriors from Waveclan, and wow, they sure stank of fish! They smelled and acted just like how Fawneyes explained to us, they smelled of fish, very graceful, perfect in swimming and are very rude cats!"

Snowpaw laughed,

"well, no other clan is better than Stoneclan! Well, goodnight Darkpaw!"

She purred and curled her tail around her paws. Darkpaw smiled,

"Yeah, Stoneclan is the best clan to be in! Good night to you Snowpaw!"

But deep inside she felt worried about what Barkstalker had told her…her clan was losing territory rapidly. She was silent as she stared towards the exit of the apprentice den. What if her clan dies out? She sigh as she closed her eyes as tight as she could.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Darkpaw was awoken from a shocking yowl from her camp the very next morning! Yowls, hisses, kicking and clashing of claws were erupting outside from the apprentice den. Snowpaw was awaken also and the two she cats looked at each other for a brief second but then faced the entrance of the apprentice den once again and ran off. Darkpaw gasped as she saw who her clan mates were fighting with, there were three fat badgers clawing at her clan mates! Several of her clan mates were scared and injured from the beasts! "Darkpaw! Snowpaw! Get back into your den!"

Darkpaw heard Dawnmist yowl as the black she cat clawed at the badger's nose not too far away. Darkpaw flattened her ears in shock as the badger swiped her mother away from it with long claws, forcing the warrior to hit against the soft grass with blood leaking out from her pelt!

"Mama!"

Darkpaw shrieked as she was about to run to protect her mother but her white friend stepped on her fluffy tail to stop her from running outside. Darkpaw hissed at Snowpaw,

"Snowpaw! Let me go! I need to save my mama!"

Snowpaw shook her head quickly,

"No! Your mother said to not go out! We need to obey her!"

Darkpaw turned quickly back to her mother, who was now cornered by a big hairy badger who was hissing at her while showing long claws. Darkpaw's eyes widen, that badger was going to kill her mother!

The big badger held his giant paw high as his claws sparkled from the sunlight. Just before Dawnmist thought she was going to go to Starclan a big black tom knocked the badger off balance. The big black tom clawed at the badger with narrow eyes and ripped off big pieces of flesh from its neck and chest as he clung onto the badger's back! Dawnmist gasped as she soon found out who that tom was, it was Ravenflight! The badger yelped as he tried his best to shake off the great tom from his body, but the tom held on and the badger started to lose ounces of blood. But finally the black tom fell off from the badger and landed neatly on four paws not too far from his mate. He hissed as his fur bristled, making him look twice his size. The badger hissed back but turned around and started to charge to attack another cat. Ravenflight turned around to face his mate, helping her to get up. Dawnmist eyes soften,

"You…you saved me…"

Ravenflight rolled his eyes and snickered,

"Are you really that surprised?"

His mate narrowed her eyes and hissed,

"Well, I was only saying thank you!"

The two couples started to hiss and bicker while their clan were still fighting the two intruders.

Snowpaw gasped in amazement as she saw Darkpaw's father fighting with the badger. She was so amazed that she didn't noticed Darkpaw slipping off from her paws and running towards the warriors that were fighting the other two badgers. She could hear Echostar yowling,

"Don't go too close to the mouth or claws! Or they'll get you!"

Darkpaw gulped as she thought her body being ripped into pieces from one of these creature but those thoughts vanished quickly as her brother Whitefire tripped over her. The grey tom grumbled as he quickly got up, several scars were showing from his light grey belt as a few badger fur clung to his white chest fur. His amber eyes widen as he saw his younger sister on the ground grinning as innocently as she could.

"Darkpaw! Get back into your den!"

Whitefire nudged the black she cat quickly towards the apprentice den right as he ducked quickly as a badger slashed right above his ears. His sister was still standing were she was as he yelled with anxiety,

"I said now Darkpaw! Now!"

Just before Darkpaw would argue a loud desperate gurgling scream erupted the camp,

"Help!"

Darkpaw ran towards the scream, her brother trying his best to catch up to her while bumping and getting himself pushed about from the other desperate warriors. Darkpaw started to scream herself as she saw what was making that terrible gurgling sound, she saw Sunflower's desperate expression on her face as a badger was holding her by the neck, blood was squirting everywhere as blood dripped from her clawed cream coloured pelt. "Somebody…! Do…so…something!"

Darkpaw felt her ears flatten and her tail going between her legs as she felt fright piercing her heart at that very moment when she saw the red liquid dripping from the badger's mouth as the lifeless body fell to the floor with a small thump. As the body fell to the floor right in front of her she felt her face was splattered with specks of Sunflower's blood. Darkpaw let of a loud scream of horror as she felt the blood hitting her face gently. Whitefire came just in time to grab Darkpaw and drag her out of the way before the badger could have ripped her throat out. Out from the corner of her eyes Darkpaw saw more of her clan mates jumping on top of the badgers and clawing them as hard and painful as they can. But her ears were numb from all the shouting and screaming, but she did heard one voice that she heard from the rest of the chaotic screaming,

"Mama?! Are you alright?! Mama! Wake up! No! Mama!"

Darkpaw closed her eyes tightly as she knew who the voice belonged to…Snowpaw.

Danger filled in the air but Rainmist loved it! She felt herself grin as she clawed the badger's cheek while she leaped into the air. The badger aimed to bite her body but they were just too slow for her. She felt so powerful and unstoppable as she started to torture and anger this badger more and more, but it barely got her because Rainmist was so swift. She was about to leap but this time her eyes widen as she found out that she leaped in the very wrong moment! She was soaring right into the air, but the badger was right under her and opened its jaws wide open, aiming for her throat! She felt herself fall down towards to the jaws of death…just as she landed on the ground with her stomach! She groaned as she got up and noticed who had pushed the badger right away from her feet, she caught a glimpse of ginger and cream fur, it was Bolttail! The brave sly tom clawed at the badger but the most shocking thing happened, the badger fell to the ground with a puddle of blood surrounding it's body! It seemed to have alarmed the other badgers too because the other badgers also started to run towards the forest! The clan were silent but soon they started to cheer with pride as they actually fought the badgers out from their camp.

"That's what you get when you mess with Stoneclan cats!"

A tom hissed.

"So long you badger scum! Don't think of coming back to our territory!"

A she cat yowled towards the badgers. Echostar padded slowly across the clearing as the cats were gathering around Bolttail who was being honored because he was the cat who killed one of the badgers. Echostar grinned at the young orange cat,

"Very well done Bolttail, we are lucky to have a strong warrior like you."

Bolttail blushed in embarrassment,

"Oh, it was nothing Echostar!"

The grey she cat meowed,

"It sure meant a lot to all of us!"

Whitefire and Rainmist were the only one that were not honoring Bolttail. They were only rolled their eyes and whispered to each other. Everything was going well until Barkstalker yowled on top of his voice when he noticed his mate's lifeless body near the Queen's den.

"Sunflower! No!"

All the clan mates turned to face the lifeless body of the queen. Rainmist noticed Snowpaw already moaning over her mother's dead body.

"Mama! Please wake up!"

She yowled. The deputy slumped right next to Sunflower and hugged the dead body tightly in hopes of bringing it back to life, but of course nothing happened.

"Poor Sunflower…"

Rainmist heard one of the warriors murmur.

"She was about to have another litter of kits…"

She heard Lillyflower whispered to herself.

"Mama! If you don't wake up you won't be able to see me get my warrior name! Please wake up! I'll do anything for you!"

Snowpaw wailed into the sky. The other Stoneclan cats murmured and wailed also, but besides that everything was silent. Echostar finally spoke when the entire clan was silent,

"Tonight we will moan for the loss of Sunflower. We will not forget about her…she was such a sweet and kind hearted cat to us all."

Darkpaw huddled next to Dawnmist who had her tail around her daughter's shivering body. Darkpaw's mother was cleaning the blood off from her face, humming silently to calm her daughter from all the tension that had happen only a few moments ago. 'Was it all my fault?' Darkpaw thought to herself. 'I could have saved her if I was not that afraid like a kitty pet!' She closed her eyes tight as she felt herself sobbing against her mother's ruffled fur. Today was going to be a long day for all the clan members.

Rainmist and the other warriors gathered around the two bodies, but she was interested in the badger more than the dead queen. She was sad and shocked on what had happened but she knew that she would have to handle on her feelings because she would see more deaths later in her life. She padded around the dead badger, its dark raven fur and white fur filled with scratches from claw marks. She noticed that Barkstalker and Echostar were also studying the badger. Rainmist glanced at Echostar,

"Uh…Echostar, did you noticed anything strange with the badger?

" The leader turned to face one of the newest warriors,

"Actually Rainmist, yes."

Rainmist turned to face the dead badgers, there were just too many scars on it, but what did her leader notice? Echostar whispered in her ear,

"Sniff the back legs and back, you'll notice something quite strange…"

The white she cat did as she was told, she sniffed the back parts of the dead badger, there were normal scents that she was used to, Stoneclan cats. Just before she would turn around and ask her leader she sniffed a very strange scent, it smelled of cats, but from a different territory! Rainmist turned to face her leader with wide eyes, the leader nodded back, reading what the young warrior was thinking,

"Yes Rainmist, this badger was chased into Stoneclan on purpose…from Frozenclan."

The other warriors hissed with furry as they heard their leader speak. Ravenflight twitched his tail, his black tail twitching like an angry snake,

"We should invade their camp! We'll kill one of their queens!"

Barkstalker hissed,

"No, one queen is not worth my mate, the deputy or the leader's loved one should be killed!"

The other warriors hissed and meowed in agreement while their leader lashed her tail for silence,

"we can't go get ourselves into a fight! We'll lose more cats which means we'll lose more lands…our clan is not on the point that should be going off and getting into fights…our clan is losing so much territory. I do not want to lose more. How will we be able to survive leaf bare with less territory? We need to stick together and wait till our clan grows a bit bigger, THEN we'll fight for more territory and hopefully Starclan will be on our side."

The other cats were about to argue but the grey leader lashed her tail once again for silence,

"We will not argue once more…this talk is over. We will not attack Frozenclan unless they cross our territory…"

Echostar padded towards her den while Barkstalker padded next to her. Rainmist could hear him protest about Echostar's idea.

"She just won't let us fight doesn't she?"

Rainmist heard her brother's annoyed voice talk to her right behind her. His sister glanced back at him with narrow blue eyes,

"She's just worry about her clan…and I understand her."

She heard her brother snicker,

"Yeah, understand on how she just wants the other clans to take more territory from us! Rainmist, we need more territory. We all know that, even Fawneyes agrees with the idea that we must take action, or else the clan would die out!"

"Our clan's not strong enough, it's not like it used to be ever since…"

Whitefire looked down at his paws with annoyed eyes,

"Ever since…Scarstar lost his last life…"

Rainmist sigh as she remembered her great grandfather Scarstar, she had his white fur but never had his dark green eyes. He was born to be leader…she remembered Fawneyes telling her. All the cats were well feed and their clan was the biggest clan from all the others…but since Echostar took over everything turned into a big mess. Half of the clan members died from starvation last leaf bare…it was horrible. She remembered herself getting green cough, but luckily she survived it. Rainmist looked at her brother,

"Scarstar is dead…he's gone to Starclan now. We must be looking towards the future."

His brother looked up at her with angry eyes, his yellow eyes burned in furry,

"How can you even think that? Our clan is going to die sooner or later! Just because of Echostar!"

Rainmist flattened her ears as her brother shouted with rage. The other clan members heard what her brother said, but did not fought against his opinion. Rainmist glanced to the other clan members, they also seem to be agreeing to Whitefire!


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Darkpaw lowered her body as her prey was only a few mouse lengths away. It was a good thing that the wind was not blowing, the mouse was busy nibbling on the nut that it had found on the ground. Darkpaw glanced at her mentor, he was up high in a tree nearby, looking at her every move, he finally nodded, letting her know that she can prance at her prey. Darkpaw nodded back to her mentor, leaping into the air with her eyes tightly closed, her fur brushing against the leaves and landed…on top of small stones and grass. She opened her eyes and noticed that mouse was running away, she ran after it but saw it just in time as it disappeared into a small hole in another tree. She pawed her paws into the dirt ground but the mouse was long gone. She hissed to herself with frustration, this was the fifth time she had failed to catch anything! She felt her mentor brushing against her fur, but he seems also a bit frustrated.

"Darkpaw! How many times do I need to remind you? You never close your eyes when you leap onto your prey! Only kitty pets do that!"

Darkpaw felt her ears flatten, she wanted to prove her mentor that she was a worthy clan member, but apparently she was not impressing him at all. Barkstalker sigh and shook his head,

"Well, you've only been an apprentice for three days…I guess I can understand, but please open your eyes next time."

The young black she cat nodded,

"Ok Barkstalker…"

The deputy sigh and nudged his apprentice to follow him. She did as she was mentioned and she appeared in front of a small meadow. The grass was very short and she saw more stones and rocks everywhere. The dark brown tom padded in front of her and turned his head to face her,

"This is what I call the stone den. We can practice more here, I used to be mentored here when I was an apprentice, I trained here for more of my fighting moves…I was a terrible fighter back then. Anyway,"

His tail lashed towards a small pebble only a fox length away from him,

"Try to jump from here over that small pebble."

Darkpaw looked up at her mentor with annoyed eyes, he was underestimating her! Any apprentice could do that! She did not argue though and jumped gracefully over the other stone. Her mentor nodded,

"Hm…very good, but this time don't close your eyes. Why are you closing your eyes whenever you jump?" Darkpaw shrugged as she felt her ears flatten with shame,

"I don't know…I just feel like someone would hit me in the forehead!"

Her mentor rolled his eyes,

"Fine then. We will be doing this until you learn how to keep your eyes wide open! I don't care if that means we stay up for the rest of the day with not a wink of sleep!"

Darkpaw's eyes widen and was about to protest but the mentor lashed his tail for silence. Darkpaw narrowed her eyes and muttered with frustration. Her mentor put a larger rock a rock length away from her, and put a few leaves and sticks around her,

"Ok, this time try to jump and land on your prey without making a sound AND with your eyes wide open! I will be watching you."

Darkpaw muttered in response and crouched down and glared at the big stone. When she saw her mentor nod once she pranced, but her eyes once shut again and she landed on a bunch of weeds and small pebbles not too far away from her target. Barkstalker's eyes widen,

"It seems you have some mental issues…"

Darkpaw glared at her mentor,

"I do not! I just need more training!"

Her mentor rolled his eyes, but thought to himself for a few more moments,

"You said whenever you jump you think someone will hit you in the forehead right?"

Darkpaw nodded. Barkstalker nodded and closed his eyes for a few moments. Darkpaw went on muttering to herself on how terrible she was to not be able to land on her targets just because she felt someone was going to attack her. Barkstalker finally opened his eyes and meowed,

"I think I know just what the solution is! Darkpaw, look here!"

Darkpaw looked towards her mentor and noticed his paws reaching towards her face in full speed, she could not help but close her eyes quickly.

"Aha! I think we need to practice on fighting moves. Hopefully that will make you brave enough to not close your eyes and in attacks you won't close your eyes every two seconds like a kitty pet would!"

Darkpaw narrowed her eyes as she heard her mentor being rude to her,

"Hey! Are you calling me a kitty pet?!"

Her mentor grinned,

"You're not a kitty pet, but you sure hunt like one."

Barkstalker padded and stood in front of her, chuckling at how Darkpaw made a face because of what he had said earlier.

"Well now, I will show you an attack stance, it is quite similar to a hunting stance but your tail needs to be raised a bit higher."

Barkstalker explained as he crouched down into an attack stance, he glanced at Darkpaw to check if he was paying attention,

"Well? Now you try it."

Darkpaw did as she was told but once again her mentor got picky,

"Raise your tail a bit higher. It looks like you're about to surrender or your about to make dirt. Relax yourself now."

Darkpaw muttered under her breath as she raised her fluffy tail higher into the sky. Barkstalker nodded, "Hm…not bad. Ok now I'll teach you more attack moves. There are several attack moves that you can learn, but because this is training I don't want you to use your claws quite yet."

Barkstalker stood back into his attack stance and without warning Darkpaw kicked her off balance with his back paw while doing a small twist. Darkpaw landed on top of a small patch of grass and quickly got up,

"Hey! You didn't say that you were going to attack me!"

Barkstalker chuckled,

"Oh please, as if an enemy would inform you that he will attack you."

The black apprentice rolled her eyes in frustration,

"Stop being so mean to me."

The deputy chuckled,

"Fine. I won't, I was only teasing you that's all anyway. I'll give you a small tip, try to predict what your enemy will do."

Darkpaw nodded once and for the rest of the training remembered what her mentor had told her to remember.

Rainmist ran across the short grass as she chased after her squirrel, the prey was very fast but the warrior was not about to give up. She noticed her prey jumping up into the tree, but the white warrior did not hesitate to stop because she jumped on top of the tree and climbed after the squirrel. Down below her the other warriors were waiting for her.

"Rainmist? You up there?"

Foxstrike yowled towards the tree. There was no answer. Bolttail rolled his eyes,

"There's no need to worry, Rainmist is swifter then you anyway. She's one of our best hunters and climbers." Foxstrike glared at the warrior,

"Well, is there something wrong being worried for Rainmist? We just lost a cat yesterday!"

Bolttail sneered,

"You don't have to worry about Rainmist, she's safe as long as she's around me."

The ginger tom flicked his tail,

"Since when were YOU interested in Rainmist?"

Before his other companion would answer they were surprised as Rainmist jumped from the tree and landed swiftly without a scratch between them. In her mouth dangled the squirrel that she was chasing after earlier. "Nice catch Rainmist, we're lucky to have a great hunter like you."

Bolttail purred to the she cat. Rainmist blushed in embarrassment,

"Oh thanks Bolttail…but I bet anyone could climb a tree…"

The she cat glanced at the two toms with her eyes wide,

"Well? Didn't you guys catch anything while I was chasing that squirrel?"

The two toms looked at each other and glanced at their empty paws.

"Well…"

Foxstrike was about to explain but Rainmist interrupted him,

"Well I guess you two will just play around while I do the hunting then."

The swift she cat padded off with her prey as she left the two warriors behind. Foxstrike muttered,

"We could have hunt and found prey if it wasn't for you who started the argument."

Bolttail rolled his eyes,

"Oh please, you wouldn't have caught a single thing. Besides, our territory is so small, we don't get much prey! It doesn't matter how hard we try to hunt, we still won't have that much prey…we'll all die out by leaf bare…" The two cats muttered to themselves for a few more seconds and ran to different directions to catch more prey for their clan.

Darkpaw leaped and pushed her mentor to the side, knocking him off balance and making him fall to the ground. Barkstalker got up quickly,

"Well, that was nice! It seems that you're more of a fighter then a hunter…strange…most she cats are better at hunting."

Darkpaw smiled and leaped up into the air,

"Can we try more fighting moves?!"

The great tom chuckled,

"Fine Darkpaw. This time, I'll attack first. Concentrate."

Darkpaw looked closely at her mentor who was now getting into an attack stance. She noticed he was building energy on his legs, he was about to jump and pin her to the ground! And her guess was correct, the deputy leaped into the air, heading towards Darkpaw! Darkpaw quickly moved to the side as the deputy landed on the patch of grass that she was standing on earlier.

"Nice!"

Her deputy purred with pride. Darkpaw grinned and held her head high, she was proud at the fact that she was quite good at fighting. She didn't want to stop fighting…she felt the urge that she wanted to fight the whole day. The two cats both heard a stick snap in half, Barkstalker's ears quickly raised,

"Who's there?"

He meowed towards the sound. The apprentice and her mentor were in their attack stance until they saw Snowpaw's face pop out from the bushes.

"Don't attack us! We were just passing by!"

Darkpaw ran towards her friend,

"Snowpaw! How's your training going?"

Snowpaw smiled,

"I'm touring around the territories now. By the way, nice fighting moves!"

Spottedfang appeared behind the white apprentice,

"Snowpaw! We need to continue touring around the territories!"

Snowpaw glanced at her mentor,

"We can just look around the territory later Spottedfang!"

Spottedfang groaned but when he noticed Barkstalker his attitude changed immediately,

"Oh Barkstalker! How if your training going with Darkpaw?"

The deputy smiled,

"Hello Spottedfang, Darkpaw and I are going just fine. I was just training Darkpaw some fighting moves here." The senior warrior raised an eye brow and faced Darkpaw,

"Really? Well, this is interesting. Are you enjoying fighting Darkpaw?"

The apprentice nodded and smiled,

"I enjoy it more than hunting for sure."

Spottedfang turned to glance at Snowpaw,

"Well, I've been teaching Snowpaw a few fighting moves, maybe you two can fight each other."

Snowpaw flattened her ears,

"But Spottedfang…"

Barkstalker glanced at his daughter,

"Can you show me how good you're fighting moves are Snowpaw?"

Snowpaw sigh,

"Fine…"

Snowpaw faced Darkpaw, getting into her attack stance. She leaped quickly into the air, Darkpaw moving out of the way as Snowpaw crashed into the ground. Snowpaw's body was twitching as her face was still planted into the ground. The three other cats ran over to her,

"Snowpaw? You alright?"

Barkstalker asked with concerned eyes. Snowpaw lifted her head up and spat out the pebbles, dirt and grass out from her mouth and shook her fur,

"I guess I'm fine."

The two she cats were back into attack stances. Snowpaw was twitching her tail constantly, Darkpaw tried her best to concentrate. Without warning Snowpaw kicked Darkpaw's paws, making her friend fall to the ground. The black she cat got up and grabbed Snowpaw by the tail and with all her might threw her across the grass. Snowpaw yelped as her back landed on a small sharp rock. Snowpaw flattened her ears and ran after her friend, "Are you ok Snowpaw?"

Snowpaw shook her fur once again, this time muttering a curse word but Darkpaw did not hear it. Barkstalker and Spottedfang padded over to their side,

"I think you both did very well. You both can use a bit of training though…"

Just then the four cats heard a great yowl erupting above their heads. Darkpaw's eyes widen and glanced at the other three cats,

"That's Rainmist!"

Barkstalker and Spottedfang glanced at each other but nodded their heads once. Spottedfang's tail pointed towards the forest, "Let's get their before we lose any more cats!"

Rainmist felt herself fall to the cold ground with a small thump. She forced herself to get up and flinched as she felt the deep scratch she had across her face that she had gotten from the rogues. Bolttail and Foxstrike hissed towards the group of rogues.

"Back off! You are crossing Stoneclan territory!"

A skinny white tom snickered with his large orange eyes gleaming,

"Oh, it's one of those pathetic clans! I thought you clan cats were more of a challenge…our females fight well then you three!"

Rainmist got back to her paws and hissed towards the white tom and the others,

"We said to back off! We do not have room for you!"

The skinny white tom's long sharp claws were quickly unsheathed again.

"Snake,"

The white tom turned around to face a cream she cat.

"What is it Butterfly?"

Butterfly glanced at the clan cats and back at Snake,

"Let's just go…we were looking around to find shelter…not to get into a fight."

"But Butterfly! You're about to have kits,"

He glanced at a large dark coloured brown tabby,

"Owl and I will do anything that it takes to get us shelter! Plus, there's plenty of prey in the forest!"

Owl hissed at the three clan cats,

"Let us stay! We only need to stay here until my mate has kits! Is that so much to ask?!"

Bolttail narrowed his eyes,

"It actually is! Our clan is also not being properly feed! If you rogues join…we'll only have more mouths to feed!"

Both Owl and Snake hissed under their breath. Owl snapped at the three warriors,

"I didn't want to do this but…if this means I'll have to kill a cat, I'll do it!"

Butterfly flattened her ears,

"Owl…let's just go, we lost enough of the group through traveling!"

But Owl and Snake both ignored the pregnant she cat and leaped on top of the three warriors. Claws clashed and teeth were sink into pelts.

"We'll kill ALL of you!"

Snake's slighter voice crackled into the forest air.

"STOP!"

A deep yowl erupted, making both the rogues and warriors to stop fighting and face towards the sound. Rainmist quickly noticed Barkstalker and Spotted fang, behind the two toms were Snowpaw and Darkpaw. Barkstalker glared at the rogues,

"What is the meaning of this? Do you kitty pets know what you are even doing? You are crossing a clan's territory!"

Barkstalker hissed towards the loners. A very young black grey tom hissed at the deputy,

"Butterfly is about to have kits! We need a place to rest!"

Spottedfang was about to argue but the deputy raised his tail for silence. The large deputy tilted his head,

"Kits you say?"

The rogues glanced at each other,

"Yes. My mate is about to have kits so we need shelter and prey!"

Owl hissed with narrow light green eyes. The cats all looked at each other in silence. Barkstalker finally spoke, "All of you follow us. We will take you to our clan, you may all join us."

Darkpaw flattened her ears, she heard from Fawneyes that accepting a rogue, loner or a kitty pet would equal to another weight on their back!

"Barkstalker! We can't accept them! Their rogues!"

The rogues heard this and snarled at Darkpaw. Barkstalker covered Darkpaw with the tip of his tail and bowed towards the rogues,

"I am very sorry from my apprentice's behavior, she is just young, she does not understand the trouble you all have gone trough."

Darkpaw glared at her mentor with angered eyes. The clan cats started to lead the rogues towards Stoneclan camp. Darkpaw twitched her ears to listen on what the rogues were saying.

"Hah! Finally we get some respect around here!"

She heard Snake meowed to his companions. Butterfly replied,

"I hope they have enough food for us to share…I feel awfully hungry."

Darkpaw rolled her eyes, why was her deputy accepting these cats anyway? Their rogues for Starclan's sake!


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

The clan cats hissed as they noticed that their deputy and clan mates were taking in a group of rogues into the clan's camp.

"What are they doing here?!"

Darkpaw heard Birdwing hiss like an angry snake.

"Look at all the young cats they have! They look like they should be apprentices!"

Blackheart meowed. Darkpaw turned around to check the rogues expression, none of them seem to be relaxed. Snake and Owl hissed at every clan cat they passed by, Butterfly hunched herself so she could hide herself from all the stares, the other young cats glared. Darkpaw saw a black she cat with white spots from the rogue's group sticking out her tongue to Fawneyes. Fawneyes screeched with rage,

"How disrespectful! Barkstalker, you better have an excellent explanation on why you are bringing these pathetic, rude, disgusting kitty pets to the clan!"

The deputy ignored the elder and padded towards Echostar, who was now on top of the high rock. The leader noticed the rogue and glanced at Barkstalker with a shocked expression,

"What are these rogues doing here Barkstalker?!"

The deputy bowed his head before the grey she cat,

"Echostar, I have brought these rogues to our mighty clan. I have noticed that we need more warriors to fight to gain more territory so we can once again have plenty of prey. One of the rogues are pregnant, the toms of this group are excellent fighters and as you can noticed they have a few young cats that we can train as apprentices." Several of the clan members yowled and hissed with disagreement. Fawneyes's voice was the loudest,

"We will not accept kitty pet scum to our clan!"

Snake hissed at snapped at Fawneyes,

"at least we're not a scrawny old hag like you!"

Echostar lashed her tail with anger and to keep her clan silent.

"First off, we do not want cats that are disrespectful to our elders!"

She told the white tom with narrow eyes. The white tom muttered something under his breath and spat on the ground.

"Sorry for the behavior of my brother…we were just so tiered from all the hard things we've gone through. We lost half our group through sickness, hunger, dogs and from other cats. We will do anything for your clan to let us stay here."

Butterfly meowed with a small voice. Echostar glanced at the pregnant she cat and tilted her head,

"When will you have kits?"

She asked Butterfly. Butterfly shook her head,

"It's been a while since I've been pregnant…I think they'll come this…winter, in your clan you would call it leaf bare."

Dawnmist was surprised,

"How do you know our clan's language? Have you been in a certain clan?"

Butterfly shook her head to the queen,

"No, but my father used to be in one of these clans, it was something to do with…ice or something."

Barkstalker calmly corrected her,

"I think you mean Frozenclan."

Echostar sigh and glanced around her clan and finally yowled,

"Clan meeting."

"As you all know our clan is losing several clan members over the year, not only that but our territory is getting smaller and there is less prey then we had moons ago. Our deputy has found a group of rogues and has the idea of letting them join us as we all know. But there is a few consequences if we accept them to the clan, they will not know the warrior code so they might not act the way a clan cat should, we would eat less prey until we fight for more grounds. They might not know how to hunt or fight either."

Snake hissed at Echostar,

"We have taken down several cats before! So don't underestimate us!"

Echostar nodded,

"My apologies. As I was saying we have consequences."

Lillyflower and Ashheart (Ashpaw turned to Ashheart)padded towards Echostar. Lillyflower whispered something into Echostar's ears. The leader's eyes widen and glanced at the medicine cat, Lillyflower nodded once. Darkpaw tilted her head as she wondered what Lillyflower had told Echostar. Echostar yowled to get her clan mate's attention once again,

"I will decide if they should stay here or not…and I have already decided. These rogues will new members to Stoneclan! I want all of you to treat them like you do to each other, I do not want to see fights."

Darkpaw heard several of her clan members whisper in complaints.

"Clan meeting dismissed."

Echostar's voice echoed through the camp.

Darkpaw and Snowpaw were near the elder's den and talked with Fawneyes. Fawneyes went on complaining about the fact these rogues were welcome into the clan,

"Look at them! Just look at them! Look at how that cat is so skinny! I don't even know how that cat even survives! Not to mention very hideous!"

Snowpaw and Darkpaw giggled as Fawneyes complained, somehow Fawneyes made everything look funny. Fawneyes glanced at the giggling apprentices,

"Well? What's so funny? Those scrawny cats are taking over our camp! Their like destruction to this clan!"

Just then Darkpaw noticed one of the rogues looking around the elder's den. Fawneyes glared at the rogue who was getting closer,

"Hey! You! Get away from the elder den! I don't want rogue stench all over my den!"

The tom looked up and to their surprise he looked only a few days older then Snowpaw and Darkpaw.

"I…I didn't know."

He said with his ears flatten. Darkpaw was distracted on how attractive his eyes looked like, they were burning like fireflies…but they were a sapphire blue. She shook her head though, he was only an annoying rogue. But she felt his gaze watching her as she looked down at her paws. Fawneyes rolled her eyes,

"Well? Don't just stand there! Move it!"

The tom stammered,

"Oh! Ok…I'm going."

When the tom padded off Snowpaw giggled,

"He was looking at you Darkpaw!"

Darkpaw glared at her friend,

"No he wasn't. Even if he did I'm not going to fall for a scrawny rogue! If he's interested in me he'll have to survive my CLAWS to even think about it!"

Fawneyes snickered,

"Of course he'll die by trying. Rogues are weak pathetic cats!"

Snowpaw and Darkpaw giggled once more. Even though they knew some of the rogues were listening what the elder was saying they ignored her and the apprentice's reactions from the rude sentences. Darkpaw glanced at the rogues, she noticed the same black and white spotted she cat talking to a grey tom that were also the similar age of herself and Snowpaw. Fawneyes noticed Darkpaw looking at the two cats,

"Echostar will be giving them their clan names when the sun goes down, quite annoying to see a bunch of kitty pets joining the clan but it's the leader's orders…"

Snowpaw was cleaning her tail constantly, completely ignoring what Fawneyes was talking about,

"Do you think we'll be able to get more back more lands from the other clans?"

She asked the elder. Fawneyes tilted her head and thought,

"hm…that is a good question. We'll have to hope Starclan to be on our side on that one."

Darkpaw glanced up from her paws,

"Fawneyes…Starclan's are on our side…right?"

Fawneyes eyes narrowed,

"Oh course they are! Why are you asking such an obvious question that even a kit could answer?!"

"Well…I just don't know if their listening to us anymore. They seem to be more on Frozenclan's side!" Fawneyes rolled her eyes,

"If you want to go to Starclan after you die I would keep my mouth shut if I were you."

Rainmist felt Ashheart cleaning her scratches

with a small patch of moss. She flinched as she felt the water dripping into her scars. Ashheart purred gently, "Stay still, I'm almost done."

The medicine cat gently put a small piece of cobweb on Rainmist's cheek,

"There, does that feel better?"

"Yes it does, thanks you Ashheart."

The grey she cat was about to pad towards her pile of herbs until Rainmist meowed,

"What did Lillyflower tell Echostar?"

Ashheart turned around to face her friend,

"Oh…I personally can't tell you. Lillyflower said I can't tell anyone…I'm sorry."

Rainmist sigh with disappointment,

"Oh…ok then."

The medicine cat tried to change the subject,

"So anyway, how's the hunting doing?"

"Fine…we're getting less prey day by day. Today we only caught a squirrel, a skinny rab

bit and three birds."

"Isn't it easy to hunt? I mean, you're known to be one of our best hunters…aren't you?"

The white she cat sigh,

"Even though I am what good is it if I can barely find any prey? Every day I can't stop worrying about the amount of prey the clan is eating! Now that the rogues are here it means double amount of effort I'll have to use to feed the clan!"

"I wish I could help…there is plenty of herbs and moss that I spend most of the day laying on top of rocks to relax…it gets quite boring."

"Even if you did you wouldn't know how to hunt properly…"

Ashheart felt a bit hurt but sigh as she knew what her friend said was true.

"Rainmist,"

Rainmist turned her head to face her friend,

"I'll tell only you this…but don't tell anyone or else Lillyflower will kill me!"

Rainmist nodded,

"Oh, I won't tell anyone. What is it?"

The medicine cat took a deep breath,

"I've received a prophecy…'Thunder and lightning will destroy but bring a new leaf to the clan' I have no idea what it means but it was so…weird."

"Is that what Lillyflower whispered into Echostar's ear?"

The medicine cat shook her head,

"Nope. Lillyflower told Echostar a very different story to her."

Rainmist sigh but stayed silent. Rainmist padded out from the medicine den once again,

"Thanks for healing me Ashheart."

The grey she cat smiled,

"No problem, it's my job anyway."

Whitefire glanced around the clan as he padded towards the fresh kill pile. He was starving after border patrol. He then noticed Snake padded towards the prey and selfishly stuffed in two birds into his mouth at the same time.

"Hey!"

Whitefire hissed to the white tom. The white skinny tom turned to glare at the warrior with his twitching gaze, "What you want now sonny?"

He snickered and asked as he took another bite from the bird.

"My name is not sonny, it's Whitefire! You're not suppose to eat two prey in a row! Fawneyes has not eaten yet!"

The snake like cat only rolled his eyes and threw the bird at Whitefire who caught it by sinking his claws into the wings. Whitefire turned around but bumped into a black and white she cat,

"Offf!"

He hissed as the bird fell off from his claws. The rogue she cat meowed,

"Sorry, I was getting chased by Blade! We were playing a game!"

And soon enough her friend leaped and pinned her to the ground,

"Haha! I caught you! Now you have to catch me!"

Whitefire narrowed his eyes,

"Aren't you two suppose to act mature in your age?"

The two rogue cats glanced at each other and then back to him and the she cat answered,

"We personally don't care how we act…my name's Mint by the way!"

She added in cheerfully. Whitefire narrowed his eyes,

"What does your name have to do with your personality?"

"Uh…I was just introducing myself…is there something rude about that?"

Whitefire shook his head,

"No."

Mint's other friend Blade spoke,

"I'm Blade, what's your name?"

The grey warrior tilted his head,

"I thought one of the clan mates were giving you a tour around camp, weren't you?"

"Well, they did. But they didn't tell us or introduced the other members of the clan."

Whitefire twitched his tail slightly as he gently sat back down on the grass,

"I'll introduce myself then, my name is Whitefire and I've been a warrior for a few days now. My sister's Rainmist, she's the white she cat over there. My mother is Dawnmist and my father is Ravenflight, you can see them glaring at each other right next to the big tree. And last but not least that's my little sister Darkpaw by the elder's den. She's the youngest from the three."

The two young cats looked towards the cats that Whitefire had introduced to him. Blade nudged Mint,

"Hey Mint, I see Dark not too far from the elder's den! Let's go meet up with him!"

The young tom ran off towards his other friend as Mint squealed,

"Wait for me!"

As the two young rogues went off to meet their friend Whitefire sigh and cleaned his paw. These rogues have no idea what was going on. And these rogues are acting as if their on vacation!

"Mint, Blade and Dark will you be loyal to Stoneclan even through the cost of your lives?"

Echostar asked as the ceremony started. The three young rogues nodded their heads once,

"Yes we do."

They all answered in harmony. The grey she cat smiled,

"From this day forward Mint will be known as Mintpaw. Mintpaw, your mentor will be Birdwing."

The black and white she cat bounced up and down with glee and turned around to look at the group of cats, "Who's Birdwing?"

The group of cats burst out in laughter as finally the brown she cat revealed herself.

"Oh! Hi Birdwing!"

The young she cat ran off to touch noses with her new mentor. The leader of Stoneclan continued,

"Blade, from this moment on you will be known as Bladepaw, your mentor will be Whitewish."

Bladepaw glanced behind him and saw his white mentor standing before him. The two cats touched noses and padded back to join the crowd. Dark was left behind and he glanced up at Echostar with a nervous gaze. Echostar spoke in front of the young tom,

"Dark, from this day on you will be known as Darkpaw. But because we already have another member of the clan that has the name Darkpaw we will still just call you Dark until you get your warrior name. Your mentor will be Ravenflight."

When the black tom heard his name while picking off grass from his tail he spat out the grass with disgust and turned to face his leader,

"WHAT?!"

He yowled. The leader ignored the black tom's reaction and nudged Dark to touch his nose to the warrior. The leader continued her speech,

"Now that we gave the young ones their apprentice name I will give the other three full grown cats their warrior name."

Echostar was about to continue her speech but Snake interrupted her with a slithering voice,

"Butterfly and I want to keep our names."

The leader glanced at the queen and then back at the white skinny tom and continued,

"Very well then. Owl step forward,"

The dark brown tom stepped forward with his emerald eyes glowing.

"Owl, will you serve Stoneclan even through the cost of your life?"

The cat nodded once,

"Yes Echostar."

The grey leader smiled,

"From this day on Owl will be known as Owlpath."

The clan members yowled out the new comers name but several of the other clan members were silent and glared at the new comers. One of them was Fawneyes. Fawneyes nudged Darkpaw and Snowpaw and whispered,

"Seems like the apprentice den is going to be filled with rogue stench tonight!"

The two apprentices groaned.

Darkpaw and Snowpaw kept their distance away from the rogues. Even though the other three cats were also part of the clan Darkpaw and Snowpaw did not fully trust these cats.

"Their taking most of the space in the apprentice den!"

Snowpaw hissed into Darkpaw's ears. The two young apprentices glared at the other three cats who were laughing and joking for a very long time.

"Hey Mintpaw, what do you think Echostar's going to name you after you're done with your training?" Bladepaw asked with a sly purr.

"I don't really like the idea of another cat giving me a name…Mint was a pretty name, but Mintpaw? Really, mints don't have paws."

The three cats chuckled.

"It's clan life what do you expect, we get weird names, weird rules, and weird scents!"

Dark snickered as he pretended to suffocate from the smell and fall to the ground dramatically. The three apprentices yowled in laughter as Snowpaw hissed under her breath as she stuffed some of the moss from her nest into her ears,

"This is going to be a LONG six moons!"

Darkpaw rolled her eyes and snuggled into her nest,

"yup."

Bladepaw glanced at the two original apprentices,

"Hey, you guys want to join us?"

He asked them with a big smile on his face. Snowpaw lifted her head high into the air,

"Hmph!"

She said as she turned to the other side of her next and lay down. Mintpaw and Dark snickered behind Bladepaw from the way the white apprentice act. Bladepaw glanced at Darkpaw,

"What about you…er, what's your name?"

Darkpaw narrowed her eyes but muttered,

"Darkpaw."

Bladepaw and Mintpaw's eyes widen and looked at Dark,

"Ohh! She has your name Dark!"

Mintpaw teased Dark who only glared at her,

"Yeah? So?"

"It must mean something romantic…maybe you two are going to be soul mates!"

Bladepaw laughed as he nudged Dark. Dark hissed,

"Whatever Bladepaw! Mint and you will be perfect couples anyway, you two always play around with each other!"

Bladepaw's cheeks turned slightly pink. Mintpaw giggled,

"Sure Dark, we might be couples but you're with a CLAN cat! Ewww!"

Darkpaw was angered,

"So?! What's wrong if I'm a clan cat? At least I don't have that…that stench!"

Mintpaw sniffed herself,

"we don't smell that bad!"

She yowled at Darkpaw. Snowpaw turned around,

"actually you guys do,"

With that she turned back her head and fell back to sleep into her nest.

"Well, at least we're not that all dramatic about out stench! You clan cats are all too sensitive!"

Dark glanced at Bladepaw,

"I think you're the one who's sensitive, you're complaining about it!"

Bladepaw rolled his eyes and slammed his paw on top of the black tom's head,

"Shut your yap Dark!"

Dark rolled on the floor and snickered as Mintpaw joined. Bladepaw glared at Mintpaw,

"Well? Why are you laughing too?!"

The black and white she cat smiled,

"Well…because Dark's right! You are sensitive!"

Bladepaw chuckled and pinned her playfully to the ground and the two cats wrestled. Snowpaw was snoring and Darkpaw was glaring calmly at the three new apprentices. Her gaze meet Dark's eyes. He was rolling around on the floor laughing but when he meet her gaze he stopped laughing and smiled. Darkpaw glared and turned away, getting herself ready for bed. 'Stupid rogues!' She thought to herself and forced herself to fall asleep.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

The sun blazed across the floor of the forest. The Stoneclan cats yawned and stretched themselves. It seemed all calm as Darkpaw and Snowpaw were padding out from the apprentice den.

"Wow! Man, I had to breathe through my mouth to sleep last night! Those cats need to be cleaned!"

Darkpaw giggled as they padded towards their mentors.

"Shouldn't we wake the others up?"

Darkpaw asked her friend. Snowpaw shook her head,

"Why bother? My nose is getting used to the fresh air! I'm not going back into that den at all!"

Barkstalker noticed his apprentice and daughter,

"Good morning you two,"

the deputy looked behind them,

"Where are the others?"

Snowpaw answered her father,

"There still in their nests sleeping daddy."

The great tom glanced at Darkpaw,

"Darkpaw, wake them up and tell them to meet their mentors, now."

Darkpaw was about to argue but the deputy gave her a stern look. The apprentice sigh and padded slowly to the apprentice den. She saw the three cats hogging up all the space and giggled. She thought to herself an evil trick to bite one of their tails, that will give them a good shock. She noticed Mintpaw's tail not too far, crouching down she slithered towards the tail. She was a mouse length away until she felt a paw trip her to the ground. She fell to the floor and heard laughter filling her ears. She got up quickly and saw Dark, Bladepaw and Mintpaw giggling and chuckling.

"Nice one Dark!"

Mintpaw purred in amusement as the black tom chuckled.

"We knew you would come back! So we decided to give you a good shock in the morning!"

Bladepaw explained while he was still laughing. Darkpaw muttered,

"Barkstalker told me that you three needs to meet up with your mentors, now."

Bladepaw glanced at Mintpaw,

"Dang! I forgot who my mentor was!"

"Haha! You're going to get in trouble Blade!"

Bladepaw glanced at Dark for support,

"What about you Dark? Do you remember who your mentor is?"

"How would I forget that grumpy cat? He was pushing me around all night! Not to mention his two eyes are creepy!"

Mintpaw flattened her ears and hissed,

"Shush Dark! Ravenflight's Darkpaw's father!"

Dark quickly turned to Darkpaw,

"Oh! Sorry! I didn't know that he was your…!"

"Apology not accepted. The three of you hurry up, I'm not going to waste any of my time here."

With that Darkpaw stomped off towards the exit of the apprentice den.

Scarface's eyes widen as he saw more cats doing the daily border patrols around Stoneclan territory. He flattened his ears with frustration, 'The badgers must not have done enough damage! I better report Icestar!' With that the muscular warrior of Frozenclan disappeared into the tall grass. He ignored all the scent of prey around him, right now territory and power mattered. And one thing for sure he wanted to get rid of Stoneclan once and for all!

Silverpaw leaped and pinned her brother to the ground, but her brother swiftly kicked her off from him and scratched her cheek gently with his claws. Streamclaw smiled at his apprentice,

"Well done Greypaw."

Icestar who was sitting on a log nearby grinned,

"you have fought well Greypaw."

Silverpaw shook her fur quickly and leaped and tackled her brother to the ground. She glanced at her father with a grin,

"How about me father?

" Icestar chuckled,

"You also did very well Silverpaw."

Scarface interrupted their battle training as he exploded from the bushes.

"Icestar! Icestar! This is terrible!"

The strong leader glanced at his deputy with cool eyes,

"What is it Scarface?"

Greypaw felt a chill run down his spine as he saw how angry the deputy was. The deputy finally spoke,

"The badgers that we chased a few nights ago…it did nothing! Stoneclan also must have accepted new members to the clan! Echostar's clan is growing!"

Icestar narrowed her eyes

, "but the badgers would have bumped into at least one of the cats…in such a small territory!"

"But it did nothing Icestar! We'll have to attack their camp ourselves!"

Silverpaw hissed with excitement,

"Can I come father?!"

Icestar glanced at his daughter,

"I'll think about it Silverpaw,

" He glared at his deputy,

"Scarface, are you certain you have seen MORE cats in the clan and not a single one of them have a scar mark?"

The deputy shook his head quickly in response. Icestar narrowed his eyes,

"Very well then, this sun down, we'll attack those pathetic cats!"

Silverpaw purred with excitement, her father nodded once to his deputy, meaning that he wanted his deputy to tell the clan. Greypaw felt his heart skip a beat and glanced at his father,

"Father…chasing badgers to a clan is bad enough!"

Icestar glared at his son,

"Greypaw, don't be soft for that clan. You are my son, and you will not feel sorry for cats from another clan."

Rainmist crouched down as she finally found a small mouse not too far from her nose. She didn't found any prey until now, and she was happy that she finally found something for her clan. She glanced forward from where the mouse, she noticed the river was rushing quiet roughly, but the mouse would not jump into the river. She just had to be careful to slip into the river. She held her breath and clawed the mouse, the mouse squeak with pain as Rainmist leaped into the air to catch it. She caught it swiftly but to her horror she was falling towards the river! She held on tight to the mouse though, and felt the cold waters taking her downstream. She was terrified and her claws were eagerly clawing around the water to get a hold of something. She splashed around the river and felt her prey slipping out from her jaws, but she bite it down harder. She was not about to lose her prey! She then noticed a root sticking out from the river, 'Maybe I could grab that!' Her paws shot up and grabbed hold of the roots. The water was pulling her aggressively, and to her horror the root was shaking violently! She tried not to panic for she still felt her prey in her mouth.

"Hey! You! What are you doing in Waveclan territory?!"

She heard a yowl shout at her. She tried her best to ignore the yowl and pull herself up but the root was starting to snap off! Her eyes widen in terror as the root slowly broke off. She was about to be washed into the river once again until she felt jaws grabbing her scruff and pulling her out from the rushing river. She was put down on the shores and she put down her prey by her side and chocked out water that had filled into her mouth. She felt fur brush against her and she glared at what was next to her. To her shock she saw a light brown tom and with the most bright dark eyes she had ever seen.

"What were you doing in my territory? Aren't you suppose to be in Stoneclan?!"

He hissed with narrow eyes. Rainmist flattened her ears,

"I slipped and fell…thank you for saving me though, it was really nice of you to help me…"

"Amurtail."

The tom meowed to Rainmist,

"I've never seen you before, were you just made a warrior?"

"I've been a warrior for a few days, my name's Rainmist."

The Waveclan warrior smiled,

"Rainmist…that's a beautiful name, it fits you."

The white she cat's ears twitched,

"E…Excuse me?"

The tom chuckled,

"Nothing,"

He looked down at his paws but glanced back the she cat,

"I heard that your clan didn't have enough prey…is it true?"

Rainmist flattened her ears,

"Yes. It's very true. I'm amazed that I actually managed to find anything today. I was close to losing this mouse but thanks to you I still have it."

"It's nothing really. I just thought you needed some help."

Rainmist looked into the warrior's eyes. He had the most beautiful eyes she had ever seen out from her clan. She noticed behind him that there was a small bird, but it looked bigger then her mouse of course. She flattened her ears and sigh as she felt so jealous on how the Waveclan cats eat better than her own clan. Amurtail followed her gaze and looked behind him to see the prey that he had caught earlier. He took it in his jaws and placed it in front of Rainmist,

"Here, you have it."

The Stoneclan warrior's eyes widen in shock,

"What? No! You caught it!"

"My clan has a lot of prey, I want you to have it so you won't try drowning yourself in my territory anymore. Besides, a beautiful cat like you should eat properly."

He chuckled as he felt his cheeks burned. Rainmist smiled and looked down at her paws so she can hide her blushing face,

"Thank you very much Amurtail! This is very kind of you."

The two cats looked at each other for a few more moments in silence until they both heard shouts,

"Amurtail? Where are you? Seastar is searching for you!"

Amurtail turned back to face his new friend, who was now running off back to Stoneclan territory.

"Wait!"

He shouted but the white she cat ran off back to her territory. He took a deep breath and frowned when Rainmist disappeared.

"Amurtail! There you are!"

He turned around to find Streamdrop smiling with a fat mouse in her jaws,

"Did you catch anything?"

Amurtail shook his head,

"No I didn't."

"Really?! But you're an expert in hunting!"

Amurtail chuckled,

"I guess I'm a bit sleepy today."

Streamdrop smiled,

"Come on, Seastar is waiting for us."

Amurtail followed his clan mate, but he still did not forget the beautiful she cat he had just meet a few minutes ago.

Darkpaw felt her back paw snap a stick as the rabbit that was in front of her started to run away. She rain after it, leaped into the air and smiled bite it's ears. The rabbit squealed and started to smack Darkpaw's neck with its strong legs but the apprentice still held on to the rabbit and slammed the rabbit hard onto a rock, kill it. Barkstalker leaped off from a tree not too far away with a grin,

"Finally! That was excellent! It took you four days to finally catch your first prey! I thought you would never be able to hunt at all so I was getting nervous!"

Darkpaw rolled her eyes but held her head high with the rabbit dangling in her jaws,

"But I got my first prey didn't I Barkstalker?"

Barkstalker nodded,

"Yes you have."

Darkpaw put the rabbit down on the ground,

"Barkstalker,"

The deputy glanced at his apprentice,

"Yes Darkpaw?"

His apprentice sigh before she spoke,

"Do you like the new members of the clan?"

The deputy froze and sigh,

"I actually don't…but it's Echostar's orders to let them join the clan."

Darkpaw glanced up at her mentor with concerned eyes,

"Is it true that after Scarstar died…and when Echostar became leader…the clan was weakened?"

Barkstalker stared at his apprentice for a very long time. His dark green eyes meet his apprentices and he took a deep breath before he spoke,

"Darkpaw, I don't want to talk about that. Now show me how to climb a tree properly."

His apprentice flattened her ears and glanced up a nearby pine tree. She glanced back at her mentor who was looking at her with an expecting gaze,

"Uh…do I climb that tree Barkstalker?"

"Any tree can do. Remember how I showed you how to climb a tree? Try to copy every move that I did."

The black she cat nodded once and leaped on top of the old pine tree, her small claws sinking into the bark of the tree. She was stuck to the tree and began to crawl slowly towards the top of the tree. As she climbed up she tried not to look beneath her but she heard her mentors voice yowling towards her,

"You're doing good Darkpaw. But please keep your body closer to the tree or you'll fall off!"

Darkpaw listened to her mentor and lowered her body towards the bark, she felt her fur brushing against the bark lightly. She felt her head turn to face her leader who was now the size of a small apple from where she was. "Can I come down now Barkstalker?"

She asked from near the top of the tree. Her deputy answered back,

"Yes you may Darkpaw! Be careful though! I don't want you to break any of your bones now!"

The apprentice gulped as she slowly made her way down to the bottom of the tree. When she was a fox length near the ground she leaped off from the tree. Her mentor smiled with pride,

"Not bad, not half bad."

Darkpaw grinned as her deputy smiled back.

"Barkstalker, should we get back to camp?"

"Hm…"

He turned to face the sky, the sun was starting to set over the horizon. He turned back to face his apprentice, "yes. It's almost sundown."

Darkpaw grinned and padded in front of her deputy who trailed behind her tail. Her deputy padded faster to walk side by side with his apprentice,

"Well, I hope they have a thrush there for me…I'm starving!"

"Me too! I want to eat a rabbit!"

Her deputy glanced at his apprentice,

"A rabbit?! Only wimpy Swiftclan cats eat that!"

He chuckled as Darkpaw ignored his comment.

Dawnmist was glancing down at her belly that held her litter. She grinned as she thought of the small cute kits that would come to the world very soon.

"Aww…Owl! You don't have to bring me prey!"

Her thoughts snapped back into reality as she quickly noticed Butterfly and Owlpath were rubbing against each other. In front of the new queen was a mouse for Butterfly to eat.

"I'll do anything for you Butterfly…"

The full grown warrior purred and his pelt was tangled with Butterfly's delicate pelt. Dawnmist rolled her eyes and looked away. She could never remember her mate ever bringing her prey when she was expecting kits! She growled and hissed under her breath with annoyance as she noticed the two couples purring and leaning on each other with their tails tangled together.

"Owlpath! Get over here!"

The cats heard Snake's crackling voice meowing towards the queen's den. Owlpath looked down at his mate, "I'll be back Butterfly, take care of the kits while I'm gone…"

His mate purred and before he left her he once again rubbed against her. Butterfly stared dreamily towards her mate while he exited the queen's den. Butterfly purred with day dreaming eyes,

"He is one cat…"

"He's your mate, what do you expect him to do?"

Dawnmist meowed with annoyed eyes. Butterfly turned to face her den mate,

"He's just so sweet ever since we got into Stoneclan…he's so nice to be with now. He used to be so angry at everything!"

Dawnmist tilted her head but her eyes were narrow with suspicion,

"Why was he angry?"

The cream coloured queen shrugged,

"He's just like that, it was his nature in the group…"

"What was the group named called? Was this group sort of like a clan?"

"Well, it is a bit similar but we don't have medicine cats or elders. We leave the elders to die actually…the weak ones perish…the toms who want to be the leader would fight for it, killing each other if they had to, it was such a hard life…luckily we survived all that."

"Leaving the elders behind?! Killing each other is they had to?! What kind of clan is that? It's so cruel!"

"Normal groups would call your ways of thinking a soft hearted idiot. We have our own ways of survival but I personally don't miss it a bit. We were known to be deadly but when winter came…"

The queen looked down at her belly that held her kits and sigh,

"Most of us would die from illness…a few survive but some die from starvation later on."

Dawnmist unsheathed her claws at the thought of such ways do live, but her claws went in immediately when she noticed her son crawled into the den. Whitefire shook his fur gently and the grass that were scattered on his pelt earlier fell to the floor. Dawnmist eyes widen with shock as she saw a deep scratch down hi snout, "Whitefire! What happened to your nose?"

"It's nothing Dawnmist…I was battle training a bit more with Foxstrike."

The black queen hissed under her breath and got up to her paws,

"I would like to speak with him."

"No mother, it's ok. It was my fault that I didn't dodge from the attack in time…anyway I have something to tell you."

Dawnmist sigh as she sat back down but her narrow eyes still stared at her son,

"Speak."

Butterfly watched the mother and son staring at each other with silence. The white tom finally spoke,

"I wanted to inform you that father's going off to hunt with Dark."

The black queen rolled her eyes,

"Is that all you wanted to tell me?"

She asked in a serious voice. The white tom nodded once,

"No. I wanted to also tell you that Darkpaw finally caught her first prey today."

The serious queen's frown slowly turned into a small smile,

"Oh? What prey did she caught? Is she here now?"

"Yes she is. She caught a small rabbit."

Dawnmist sigh with relief,

"Finally she caught something…I thought she would never be able to catch her first prey…I was worried that she had some problems."

Whitefire nodded as his mother spoke. He glanced behind his back but looked back at his mother,

"I think I should be leaving…I think Rainmist is calling me."

"Very well then…thank you for telling me this information Whitefire."

The white tom ran out from the queen's den and the two she cats were left alone once again. Butterfly looked at Dawnmist,

"What are you going to name your kits when the time comes?"

The queen looked down at her belly and sigh,

"I was thinking…Thunderkit. My brother's name used to be Thunderspark…he died saving Echostar from a monster. So I was thinking of naming my kit after my brother's death."

Butterfly flattened her ears,

"Oh…I'm so sorry to hear what happened to your brother."

"You don't have to. I've grown used to it anyway…"

Dawnmist lied as she slowly padded towards the exit of the den.

"Where are you going?"

She heard Butterfly ask. The queen did not turn around to face Butterfly,

"I'm going to meet Darkpaw and I'm going to go congratulate her."

Dawnmist smiled as she saw her daughter held her head high into the sky with a rabbit in her mouth as she showed it to Snowpaw.

"See? I told you I was not lying! I killed it myself!"

Snowpaw looked at it and smiled,

"I never knew you would catch a rabbit, I thought you would catch a vole."

"Why would I catch a slow vole? I prefer to catch the harder prey!"

The white she cat giggled,

"Oh please, as if you are better at hunting then me!"

Darkpaw nudged her friend with the rabbit,

"I caught this didn't I?"

Dawnmist giggled,

"You sure did Darkpaw…congratulations."

Darkpaw quickly turned to face her mother,

"Mama! I finally caught my first prey!"

"I know Darkpaw…I know. I'm very proud of you,"

Dawnmist purred as she licked her daughter's forehead. Darkpaw held her head high once again,

"I'm going to be the best cat out of this clan!"

Dawnmist smiled and nodded,

"I'm sure you will…"

Snowpaw interrupted and tripped her friend,

"No you're not! I'm going to be the best warrior!"

The two she cats giggled and got up quickly. Dawnmist smiled as she looked down at the two apprentices…they grew so fast and her daughter finally caught prey! The queen's thoughts were interrupted as Darkpaw ran past her and shouted,

"Rainmist! Whitefire! I caught my first prey!"

Snowpaw ran after her friend,

"Darkpaw! Wait for me!"

The queen chuckled as she saw all three of her children laughing and smiling at each other. Dawnmist wanted this sight to never pass…but a group of yowling and hissing cats that jumped out from the bushes ruined everything.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Darkpaw gasped as she saw muscular cats standing before her. There stood the leader among the group, Icestar. The muscular leader hissed at the apprentice and raised his paws that filled with sharp deadly claws and swiped at the apprentice. Darkpaw dodged the first swipe but felt pain on the tip of her ears.

"Darkpaw!"

She heard her family shout and felt a pair of jaws grabbing her scruff and pulled her away from the leader. She looked up uneasily and saw her sister looking down at her with concerned eyes,

"Darkpaw stay away from this as much as you can!"

Darkpaw was about to protest before a cat pushed her sister right off from where she was standing! The apprentice looked around, cats were fighting her clan mates! She looked around quickly, eagerly to find her leader and family, but everything was going to fast! Soon enough she felt a heavy weight pushing her down to the ground, knocking the air right out from her. She turned around quickly, clawing the cat right across the cheek. The cat and her eyes meet and immediately they both stopped and stared at each other with shocked eyes. The tom before Darkpaw looked very similar like her…almost as if they were twins! The tom's wide shocked eyes immediately turned back to his burning furious eyes and leaped at Darkpaw. Darkpaw was pinned to the ground but clawed the tom with the back of her legs furiously, she wanted this tom to get off from her before he would get the chance to kill her! The tom yowl in pain and jumped off quickly, landing on all fours and glared at the young apprentice,

"Not bad…for a weak clan apprentice!"

Darkpaw glared at the older tom before her with hated eyes,

"Why are you attacking my clan?! We didn't attack your clan at all! You killed Sunflower!"

The black and grey tom eyes widen,

"Wait…did the badgers kill one of your clan mates?"

Darkpaw nodded with anger in her eyes,

"Yes! She was about to have kits! She was Barkstalker's mate you mouse brain!"

"But…but I thought the badgers didn't hurt any of your clan members!"

Darkpaw shrieked with anger and leaped at the tom who stepped aside, making the young she cat crash into the grass. He turned to face her quickly,

"You're young…I shouldn't be fighting you!"

Darkpaw ignored him and clawed his nose but earned herself a deep scar mark across her back, she yowled in pain as she sink onto the camp floor. She tried her best to get up but the scrawny tom pushed her back onto the camp ground, sinking his claws into her back. Darkpaw cried in agony but the other apprentice didn't stop but continued sinking his claws into her back. Darkpaw's vision was fading slowly until she felt the weight pushed off from her back. She saw the same tom before her but this time wrestling with Whitefire! She saw her brother clawing the tom down and ripping paw full of pelt off from the tom's body. The same tom clawed at her brother but her brother swiftly ducked the attack, and whammed him head into the grey and black tom's chest and pushed him deeper into the ground. Darkpaw was slowly losing consciousness but heard a sharp crack and the tom screaming in pain as her brother slammed him onto a sharp rock before everything went black.

Whitefire hissed at the tom who was shuddering in pain and blood was soaking his right arm. Whitefire spat out the pieces of fur that was in his mouth and clawed the young tom's stomach furiously,

"You did the worst thing you would have ever done in your life! Nobody hurt's my sister!"

He yowls at the tom and clawed his ears.

"I was doing it for my clan!"

The young tom shouted at the white warrior. The two cats looked at each other. Whitefire noticed how similar the tom looked like to his sister but he shook his head and hissed. The tom didn't had the chance to get up as Whitefire finished him off by slamming him into the rock head first. The unconscious tom slipped off from the rock and fell to the floor limply but Whitefire didn't care. He turned around and noticed his sister on the camp floor with her eyes closed! She ran towards her and looked down at his youngest sister,

"Darkpaw?! Darkpaw? Are you there?!"

His sister did not answer him but he then noticed her sister was slowly breathing. He grabbed her by the scruff and quickly ran behind the queen's den where Fawneyes was complaining as Ashheart and Lillyflower were healing cats as quickly as possible. Ashheart's eyes widen as she noticed the warrior and the blood covered apprentice appeared before her eyes.

"Please take care of Darkpaw. She's been attacked from another fool…I'll be back."

Before the medicine cat would say anything the warrior ran off and clawed at another cat.

Rainmist dodged a cat from clawing her sides as she glared at the cat, it seemed like an apprentice, and the silver she cat was hissing at her with a sneer.

"Is that how Stoneclan cats fight?! Always running away? Don't you take in attacks?! Pfft you guys are nothing but weak cats, just like my father explained it to me!"

"I don't care about your father! Now tell your stupid clan cats to get out from our clan! We didn't do anything!" The silver she cat purred in amusement and narrowed her eyes,

"Make me."

With that she leaped into the air, Rainmist dodging and grabbed the young she cat by the neck and slammed her on the hard ground, a shrill scream of pain escaped from the young she cat.

"I said, tell your leader to get out from our camp!"

She hissed as she sink her jaws into the young she cat's shoulder. The she cat yowled in pain and clawed at Rainmist, scratching Rainmist's nose as did. The warrior ignored the pain and tasted blood in her mouth, it made her sick but she went on clawing and biting the apprentice.

"Ok! I'll tell him!"

The young apprentice quickly shouted before the warrior would bite her anymore. Rainmist let her go, making sure the apprentice run to her father. And to Rainmist's satisfaction the leader growled at the clan cats and shouted, "Frozenclan retreat!" The Frozenclan cats froze as they heard their leader hiss out the order and they did as they were told. Rainmist sigh with relief as she saw all of the cats running back to their territory, a few of them had their tails between their legs which made her giggle in amusement. Her smile faded away when she noticed her clan mates have several claw marks and blood was spilled on the camp grounds. Not too far she noticed Whitefire glaring down at a body that Rainmist did not recognized, but the pelt looked so similar! She gasped as she ran and stopped next to her brother, there before her was a cat…a cat that looked so similar to Darkpaw! She felt her ears flatten,

"Who…who is this?"

"Some mouse brained apprentice that attacked Darkpaw."

"Where is Darkpaw?!"

Whitefire looked up at his sister,

"Don't worry, Ashheart and Lillyflower are taking care of her."

She sigh and looked down at the still body, "Did you kill him?" Whitefire snorted,

"Wish I had. He's still breathing, but you can barely notice it. I wish he was dead, he deserved it anyway. Stupid Frozenclan apprentice attacking our sister!"

Just then they noticed the young Frozenclan apprentice getting back to his conscious,

"Huh…uh?"

He asked as he opened his eyes and turned his head to see who was making that noise. Whitefire hissed as he forced the apprentice's head back to the ground with his giant paw,

"Don't you dare move mouse brain!"

Rainmist glanced at her brother,

"Don't be too harsh on him…I think you hurt his arm bad anyway, he won't be able to run now. He's helpless now."

This made the young cat shocked,

"What?! N…no!"

The young tom tried to get back on his feet but he winced as he fell back to the ground,

"Th…this can't be happening to me!"

He shouted in a quiet voice as he franticly looked around for his clan mates,

"Silverpaw? Father? Scarface? Any of you out there?!"

He asked with a pair of desperate eyes. Whitefire sneered,

"There's no use, kit! Their gone, they left you behind!"

The black tom narrowed his eyes at Whitefire but his voice was shocked and desperate,

"I…I don't believe you! My clan mates would never leave me behind like this!"

Rainmist sigh as she looked into the young tom's eyes,

"They apparently have. You might as well tell us your names."

"Why would I tell you mouse brains my name?"

Whitefire rolled his eyes and his claws came out from his paws,

"You sure you want to play a game with me kit? Because I don't want to get my claws filled with Frozenclan stench right now."

The apprentice gulped as he saw Whitefire's sharp claws,

"It's…it's Greypaw…"

He finally answered and looked away with his eyes narrowed with guilt. Whitefire flattened his ears and snarled,

"I hope I get to claw your eyes out Greypaw! Because you hurt my sister!"

"She started to attack me. When I backed down…she started to attack me! And…she deserved to get hurt for insulting my clan!"

Whitefire lips curled and raised his paw that revealed his talon like claws but his sister stood over Greypaw, shielding Greypaw. Whitefire hissed at his sister,

"Rainmist, move over! This apprentice really needs to feel pain right now!"

"No Whitefire, he's just an apprentice. He's been hurt enough, you hurt his arm…that's bad enough for him." Whitefire glared into his sister's eyes with burning yellow eyes. He rolled his eyes but then his eyes meet Greypaw's. He hissed at the apprentice one more time,

"Remember this Greypaw, the moment you touch my sister, no, come even close to my sister I will KILL you!" Greypaw looked up at the older warrior with feared eyes as Rainmist said nothing but stared at her brother. Whitefire glanced at his sister,

"Rainmist, this apprentice is not worth to protect, he's nothing but some fox hearted, fox dunged kitty pet! And you can't protect him forever like this!"

The white she cat did not argued as she saw her brother running towards the medicine cats. Rainmist looked down at the young apprentice who looked back at her with narrowed eyes,

"Why did you stand up for me?"

Rainmist answered,

"Because I know that you were just following your leader's orders. And the fact that you are very young to get into a fight with Whitefire…"

"You're not angry even though I hurt your sister…?"

"I am. But you're still just an apprentice. Behave though, unless you want my father to kill you next."

The apprentice slowly started to close his eyes. Rainmist flattened her ears, looking away from the apprentice.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Darkpaw slowly opened her eyes, her nose filled with the scents of herbs and moss. She noticed Ashheart smiling above her with a few cobwebs stuck to her grey pelt.

"Darkpaw! You're finally awake!"

Darkpaw forced a smile and tried to get up but felt pain striking her back immediately and winced. Ashheart quickly forced the apprentice to lay back in her nest,

"Don't try to get out from your nest. You hurt your back…"

Darkpaw widen her eyes and remembered what had happen before she blacked out,

"Where's Whitefire and Rainmist?!"

"Don't worry, their fine. They only had a few scratches. You're mother visited you a few minutes ago. Come on, it's been a hard time today, get some rest."

Darkpaw nodded once and the medicine cat went to a small corner and started to clean the herb storage. Darkpaw sigh and was about to rest her eyes but the same face made her twitch her tail and shout with furry, "Great Starclan! It's you again!"

Her shout made Greypaw almost jump out from his nest. He flattened his ears and stammered,

"Uh…hi…we meet again…I'm Greypaw…"

"I don't care about your name! Get out from my territory now! You disgusting cat! Get out now!"

Ashheart quickly rushed to the two apprentices,

"Darkpaw, stop. Greypaw here is just going to stay here until his arm heals, that's what Echostar ordered us to do."

"Why would we even waste herbs to help this fox hearted fool!"

Greypaw flattened his ears and glared,

"Well, I wasn't trying to hurt you."

"Oh really?! You hurt my back and because of you I have to stay in this stinking medicine den!"

Ashheart narrowed her eye,

"Hey!"

She hissed at Darkpaw but the black she cat ignored and went on bickering,

"I don't get why we're even helping you! You almost killed me! You killed Sunflower!"

Greypaw's eyes widen and his ears quickly sink to his head. He looked away quickly as Darkpaw hissed at him. Ashheart lashed her tail at Darkpaw,

"Darkpaw! Stop it. He was not the one who killed Sunflower!"

"How would you know?! Frozenclan cats are all the same! Their nothing but big selfish fox hearted cats! Rogues are better than those cats!"

The Frozenclan apprentice did not moved a muscle and continued looking down at his injured arm with regretful eyes. Ashheart sigh,

"You two will have to get used to each other! I had enough of fights! And Darkpaw, please behave, your mother is about to have a litter of kits again! You can't act like a kit any longer and cause trouble!"

"Why is it me?! That mouse brain is our enemy, not me! Why is it me who's getting into trouble?!"

Darkpaw shouted at the medicine cat. Ashheart lashed her tail and turned her back to the two apprentices and continued to clean the herb storage. Darkpaw still felt angry but her narrowed eyes returned to her normal round eyes, and her snarl turn into a small frown, and her ears remained flatten on top of her head. She glanced at the Frozenclan apprentice, who was still looking down at the ground with depressed eyes. 'Was I too harsh on him? But he's an enemy to the clan! But…I think I was a bit harsh at him…' Ashheart got up slowly and padded towards the exit of the medicine den, but before she left she meowed at Darkpaw,

"The moment I come back I expect both of you to apologize and be nice to each other."

The two apprentices were silent but Darkpaw slightly glared at the medicine cat. When Ashheart's grey tail disappeared Darkpaw looked at Greypaw,

"Hey, I'm sorry. I was just so frustrated about what happened to Sunflower."

Greypaw looked up at her with his ears still flatten,

"No, it's ok. I guess I disserved it…I almost killed you in the battle anyway. You fight well…for a new apprentice."

"No I'm not. I couldn't even defend myself out there in battle. You're just saying that to make me feel better while everyone knows that I'm the weakling from the clan! You were amazing out there! At least you were a better fighter then me!"

The two cats looked at each other, their dark green gaze meeting each others. Darkpaw felt herself getting hot as she saw how handsome the young apprentice before her looked like, and how deep and green his eyes were…darker then hers she was sure, they seemed so beautiful and peaceful. Greypaw raised an eyebrow and looked at the young she cat,

"Uh…I um…"

The two cats looked at each other for a bit longer until Greypaw meowed,

"I was um…about to say that I could…teach you a few moves if you like. Maybe it'll help to make you stronger than before."

Darkpaw tilted her head and ask,

"Really?"

Before Greypaw could answer a huge group of apprentices came pouring into the medicine den. Snowpaw was the first one to squeal when she saw her injured friend,

"Darkpaw! Oh my gosh! Are you ok?"

Darkpaw nodded weakly. She noticed that the three rogue apprentices coming into the medicine den. Mintpaw flattened her ears,

"Darkpaw? You ok there? I heard from Lillyflower that you lost a lot of fur from your back!"

"I…I what?!"

Darkpaw stammered as she turned her head around to see her bald back. She screamed in shock as she saw several paw full of fur missing from her back and in their spots remained patches of dried blood. Darkpaw felt tears forming in her eyes and she started to sniffle,

"I…I look hideous now!"

She yowled. Bladepaw and Dark glanced at each other but then faced back at their friend.

"Well…you don't look…that hideous. I mean, you look better then the last time I've seen you."

Bladepaw stammered, trying to keep himself from laughing on what they had seen. Mintpaw hit her friend with the tip of her tail,

"Bladepaw! Stop being mean to Darkpaw!"

Snowpaw curled her fluffy tail around her friend,

"It's ok Darkpaw. At least you still look prettier than Fawneyes."

"You're comparing me to an elder?! Oh course Fawneyes looks weird, she's old! We're all going to look like that later on! But she must have been beautiful before she turned into an elder! Just look at my back!"

Darkpaw hissed at Greypaw,

"I hate you!"

The Frozenclan apprentice flatten his ears,

"I'm…I'm sorry!"

Mintpaw and Snowpaw joined in with Darkpaw.

"How could you do that to Darkpaw?! Now you made her look ugly! She might stay like that for the rest of her life!"

"She won't look like that for the rest of her life! She'll look like that for a few moons, that's all."

Darkpaw yowled at him,

"A few moons?! A few MOONS?! Are you joking with me? I knew it was too good to be true that you were a nice apprentice after all!"

Dark stood up for Greypaw,

"Darkpaw just calm down. I've seen worse scratches then that before."

"Scratches?! These are not scratches Dark, and how would you know?! You're not even a medicine cat!"

Dark stammered but stood his ground,

"I…I was only saying the truth…"

Darkpaw glared at the black tom who looked down at his paws and muttered. Ashheart came back in with a mouth full of cobwebs in her mouth,

"Did everything go well while I was gone?"

The apprentices all glanced up at the medicine cat and said nothing, but Ashheart knew that the answer was no.

Bolttail glanced down at his scars that he had received from those scrawny Frozenclan cats. He hissed under his breath, remembering the pain he had felt. 'If only I was stronger than this…' He thought to himself, clenching his jaws with fire burning in his amber eyes. He looked up and smelled the same scent he wished he could smell near his den all day, the scent that attract him to the beautiful she cat he sill admires greatly, Rainmist. Oh Rainmist, with the pure white pelt and her glowing blue eyes that would attract any tom's heart. She smelled of poppies and her laugh and smile were sweet like honey from the honey combs that he had seen in the medicine den a couple of times. One day, he thought to himself that she cat would be begging him to be her mate…and soon they would have kits of their own. As he thought dreamily, his eyes and the white she cat's blue eyes meet. Rainmist looked away quickly though while Bolttail still looked at her with admired eyes.

A black tail caught the young warrior's attention to reality. It was the same tail he had seen ever since he became an apprentice, Blackheart was in front of him, his tail lashing back and forth. Bolttail dipped his head in respect to the senior warrior who had thought him everything he needed to learn. Ever since he became warrior he didn't saw Blackheart that much.

"Hello Blackheart."

He meowed as he looked back at the black warrior. Blackheart dipped his head back,

"Hello Bolttail. You seem to be day dreaming…not the thing that you really do…what are you thinking about Bolttail?"

The ginger tom did not answer but looked down at his paws as he felt his cheeks grow hot. The black tom sneered as he noticed what the young tom was day dreaming about,

"Ah…young she cats I see. I used to day dream about the same thing too…about Sunflower before Barkstalker announced that they were mates."

Bolttail looked up at the older warrior with curious eyes,

"How did you know that I was…?"

"Don't ask. I've seen a lot of those stupid faces when I was around your age. You'll notice it quickly when you're a senior like me…but if I were you I would stay away from the females…"

Blackheart whispered into the young warrior's ear. Bolttail glanced at him with a confused gaze,

"Why would you stay away from the females? It's not like as if they have some sort of dangerous disease or anything."

"Bolttail…oh Bolttail. Even though you're a warrior you still have much to learn don't you? As you can notice the clan is getting weaker and losing more territory…and we have those mouse brained rogues. I was thinking when our clan is close to extinction, we just go and join the other clan. And have stronger kits then you would have had here…"

"You're planning to run and join the other clan?!"

Bolttail asked with hesitance in his voice. The two pair of amber eyes gazed at each other. Bolttail shook his head,

"Blackheart, you're going against the warrior code, you should stay and defend your clan with your life!"

"Well, I don't want to die and be known as a pathetic cat that died in the weakest clan in history! I am trying to help you Bolttail. If you change your mind, come and tell me."

The slick black tom disappeared into the bushes while Bolttail muttered with frustration,

"Coward!"

He hissed under his breath and his claws sink into the grass.

"What was that Bolttail?"

The ginger tom looked up and noticed Foxstrike with suspicious eyes. Bolttail hissed at the dark orange tom, "It's none of your business Foxstrike!"

The warrior stood calm and tilted his head, his black eyes narrowed

, "You sure? You seemed angry to me."

"I said it's none of your business! Now get away from me before I hurt you!"

The ginger tom hissed and lashed at Foxstrike, slightly cutting the whiskers of the dark orange tom. Foxstrike hissed back and muttered a swore word, glaring at Bolttail with frustrated eyes. He did not fight though and padded off towards a group of other senior warriors.

"I can't believe I was such a mouse brain!"

Icestar hissed at himself and yowled from depression on top of the large rock. His other clan members looked down at their paws, each knowing that they should have checked and waited for the youngest cat to return from the invasion. Silverpaw flattened her ears and whispered at father,

"It was not your fault…"

"It is my fault! Because of me I lost him! I should have looked and check at him more often when we were fighting!"

The leader yowled with tears streaming down his handsome face. Scarface growled under his breath,

"Icestar! We should be sending out rescue patrols! Not just stand here and moan for your son! We just save him before it's too late!"

"I can't risk my warriors getting over there, those cats would attack us from sight after what we have just done to them! Greypaw is dead!"

"He is not dead unless we try saving him!"

The deputy hissed at the leader with frustration. Silverpaw burst into tears and buried her face into her father's chest. Icestar sniffed back hi tears and tried to look strong before his clan but failing greatly. Silverpaw mumbled something as she buried her face into her father's soft pelt. Icestar whispered into her ears,

"I'll save him, I promise Silverpaw that I will."

Scarface took over the stone,

"As you can all see Icestar's son, Greypaw has been captured by those savages. It is our duty to risk out lives and get him back!"

Some of the warriors did not agree to this idea and the cat who did not agree was Frogheart,

"I don't think we should risk any more lives for this! We already came back from the fight, we can try another time saving Greypaw. But for now we must rest!"

"Are you challenging with the deputy's decision?!"

Scarface hissed and landed right in front of the warrior. Frogheart narrowed his eyes,

"I hate to say it but you never really seemed to care about Greypaw. And I'm getting slightly suspicious why you would want to get him right away. A lot of us are hurt and need rest. We can try tomorrow."

"You mouse brain! Of course I care for Greypaw! He is important to the clan! All of you, get ready! We will go save Greypaw right now!"

Frogheart blocked the deputy's way to go towards the other warriors. Scarface glared at the senior warrior, "Move! I am the deputy!"

"And I am a warrior! I have every right to speak for what I believe is right! I do not want to risk more cats! Why will we be risking more cats just for one cat?! We will try to save him later but we must rest so we can have a better success at bringing him back. You'll have to kill me before you get to do this Scarface."

Some of the clan members gasped, nobody dared spoke to Scarface like that. A sneer crawled on Scarface's face, "Maybe I will…"

With that the white deputy leaped at his opponent.

"So apparently when you're a Stoneclan cat, Frozenclan cats call you a fox hearted kitty pet?"

Ashheart asked as she spreaded new cobwebs on top of Darkpaw's back. Greypaw nodded,

"Yup, and when you're a Waveclan cat you are called fish headed scum."

Ashheart giggled,

"Well, at least we're not fish head scum, right Darkpaw?"

The black she cat only grunted, she was still angry at Greypaw. Ashheart sigh,

"Darkpaw, he told you he was sorry. Starclan would have been tired and already forgiven him that. He didn't take your life."

"He ALMOST took my life out there if it wasn't for Whitefire!"

Greypaw narrowed his eyes,

"So THAT'S what his name was! Whitefire! The mouse brain who broke my arm!"

Darkpaw hissed back at the black tom,

"He did it for the good you mouse brain! Be quiet and swallow some poppy seeds!"

Greypaw glared but stayed silent. The medicine den was silent for a few more minutes until the three cats heard padding sounds coming towards them. Darkpaw's eyes widen as she saw Echostar and Lillyflower padding into the den.

"Echostar!"

Darkpaw squeaked as she dipped her head. Ashheart dipped her head as well but did not speak. Greypaw however just glared at the leader with angered eyes. Echostar smiled as she saw Darkpaw,

"Is your back feeling better Darkpaw?"

"It does but I lost so much fur from my back! I look hideous!"

"You do not. And, your fur will grow back soon enough. So don't worry."

Darkpaw sigh but nodded once. The leader noticed Greypaw who was still glaring at her with hatred burned into his eyes. Echostar dipped her head towards the young tom,

"hello, I am Echostar, leader of Stoneclan as you know already. I've seen you a few times in the gathering and I notice how similar you look like to our apprentice Darkpaw."

"I know that and I am not happy or grateful to be in this clan!"

Echostar stayed calm,

"I am here to tell you that I will not be releasing you."

"What do you mean?! So I am a prisoner till death in this clan?!"

Greypaw hissed with anger. Echostar nodded,

"Not quite but similar to your answer. Because of your clan we have lost a she cat…who was holding three kits in her belly! I think you remember the badgers you send us."

Greypaw remembered the strong badgers and how he chased them into Stoneclan territory. He sigh,

"I remember it. But we did it for a good cause. You humiliated and disrespected Frozenclan in the gathering!"

"You killed a she cat you mouse brain, who was holding future warriors! I know that you are the son of that mouse brain! You know how much pain we've been through these past few weeks! And I want your clan to feel the same thing…by making you a prisoner. You will be treated like dirt and eat the last out from all our clan, till the day you die."

Greypaw hissed and struggled to get up, successfully getting up in a way but Lillyflower pushed him back into the nest, pinning him down with all her strength. Echostar only glared at the young tom who was struggling to attack her.

"I promise to Starclan, the moment my clan comes here to save me, they will kill all of you!"

Echostar meowed coldly,

"And I promise to Starclan that you will not enjoy being a slave for the rest of your life here."

Greypaw growled but said nothing. Darkpaw sneered at him, it served him right she thought, he did almost killed her anyway. Her sneer slowly faded as she noticed a strange swirl on his right shoulder, it was slightly glowing in a white aurora. Darkpaw held her breath, she never had seen something that was glowing besides fireflies! 'Does the moonstone glow like that too?' She thought to herself. Echostar's serious but calm voice made Darkpaw leap in shock,

"Darkpaw, I would like you to go training with Barkstalker starting tomorrow again."

Ashheart flattened her ears as she heard this,

"But Echostar! Darkpaw needs more rest then that!"

"Then that means she'll have to pull through this. I had enough of being seen as a week leader. Now I want the other clans to never underestimate this clan, to never underestimate ME."

"Darkpaw would have a hard time though! Her scars are still in the middle of healing. If she starts training they might reopen."

Echostar glanced at Darkpaw with an annoyed glance but took a deep breath,

"Darkpaw, can you pull yourself through this? We need more prey. And you want to be a warrior as soon as possible, correct?"

Darkpaw was shocked at how Echostar changed. She used to care so much about her clan and other clans…ever since that invasion…it must have changed her. She did not want to argue with her leader though,

"Yes Echostar, I'll start training tomorrow."

Echostar's angered frown broke into a smile, but not the proud smile but a satisfied smile.

"Good,"

She meowed,

"As for Greypaw he shall stay here and help Ashheart and Lillyflower."

The three Stoneclan cats dipped their heads to their leader and watched Echostar pad quickly away from the den. Lillyflower meowed with rage,

"I can't believe this! Never in Stoneclan history the leader ever pushed an apprentice to go through training with deep scars that are still not healed!"

Ashheart's tail curled around the older medicine cat,

"Echostar is having a hard time…and her time is coming nearer each day. Just let her boss us around till that time comes."

"That time seems to be so far away! I wish Scarstar was still alive! He was not this…this selfish and self centered then that…that flea bag!"

"She only have three lives left, so just calm down now."

Greypaw seemed to be delighted from the fact, "

So the moment she dies…does that mean I'm free and get to go back to my clan?!"

Lillyflower snorted,

"Of course NOT you mouse brain! Your life would be in Barkstalker's paws, I mean BarkSTAR's paws." Darkpaw's ears flatten,

"But I thought she had more lives than that…I thought she was a bit new in being a leader."

Ashheart shook her head,

"No. She lost three of her lives in battles, one by a badger, two by green cough and last but not least one from a monster."

Darkpaw's eyes widen,

"but I thought she was the strongest cat in the clan! She's the leader!"

"Just because she's the leader does not mean she's the strongest or smart. Scarstar should have chosen your father to be leader. Your father is strong and sly, if he was leader we would have had more territory."

Darkpaw said nothing but deep inside she felt sorry for Echostar. It was not her fault that she was destine to be the leader of Stoneclan. It was not her fault that she was quite weak and soft hearted. Now when she thinks about it she think it was all her grandfather's fault for choosing her to become the leader of Stoneclan.

Amurtail twitched his tail as he saw a fish swimming around the shallow parts of the streams. He crouched down, preventing his shadows to scare the prey away from his grip. He licked his lips, he was starving after a long day of patrol. The glittering scales of the fish made the tom eager to get his claws on it. With a sudden move, his right paw swiped at the fish, the fish exploding from the shallow stream. He opened his jaws wide, feeling the flesh of the fish sinking into his jaws. He purred with satisfaction. He turned around and was about to pad away from the shores of the stream until a sweet voice surprised him,

"Nice catch."

The brown tom quickly turned around and to his surprise saw the same she cat he had given up his prey to, "Rainmist."

The white she cat smiled, her blue eyes glittering from the sunshine,

"You hunt very well."

"Any Waveclan cat can do that…what are you doing in Waveclan territory?"

"I'm not in your territory, not unless I walk across this stream. I was doing border patrols, I smelled your scent and I came over to say thank you for the prey."

"It's nothing. I couldn't see you just walk away with one scrawny mouse. Anyway, I smelled Frozenclan cats around our borders and Stoneclan's. Have they trespassed your territory lately?"

"They have. They invaded our camp…Echostar doesn't want us to attack them though." Amurtail hissed, "But your clan has the right to strike back! Those Frozenclan cats need to be thought a lesson!"

"I don't want to attack them though…they did enough damage already. They hurt my sister…her back was almost shredded to pieces."

"Sorry to hear…is there anything else I can do?"

Before Rainmist could answer the tom's question Streamdrop leaped out from the bushes,

"Intruder!"

She hissed at Rainmist. Amurtail's ears flatten,

"Don't worry Streamdrop, she was only passing by! She was not thinking on stealing out fish either!" Streamdrop ignored and hissed at Rainmist, who was glaring at the she cat with hatred eyes.

"Don't you ever come back here you mouse brained scum!"

Rainmist's lips curled and hissed,

"I wasn't even thinking on passing you fox brain!"

"Why you little…!"

Streamdrop was about to leap and claw the white she cat but the brown warrior stood in front of her,

"She was only passing by. I don't want you to get hurt Streamdrop."

The she cat looked up at Amurtail with burning red cheeks,

"Really?"

Amurtail nodded once. Streamdrop purred and her tail curled around the tom's neck and shoulders,

"I knew you would feel the same."

Amurtail glanced at Rainmist who was still watching them with narrowed eyes. She snorted and padded away, leaving Amurtail frowning while Streamdrop purring.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

"Mintpaw! Trip him with your paws!"

Birdwing meowed to her new apprentice. The white and black swiftly tripped Bladepaw off balance,

"Hey!"

Bladepaw yowled and quickly got up from the ground. He shook his fur as Mintpaw giggled and quietly laughed to himself too. Whitewish smiled at her apprentice,

"When a cat attacks you concentrate on how their place their paws and body into."

Bladepaw nodded once, and without warning leaped and pinned Mintpaw to the ground, making Mintpaw squeak in shock.

"Bladepaw!"

She shouted but later on started to giggled. Whitewish and Birdwing glanced at each other and smiled. Spottedfang, Ravenflight Barkstalker stood watching them, with their three apprentices looked at the two apprentices fight.

"They're not taking things seriously."

Ravenflight muttered under his breath with disgust.

"Oh come on Ravenflight, their just apprentices,"

Spottedfang chuckled with his handsome voice. Dark glanced up at his mentor and sigh but looked back at his two fellow friends as they walked around in a circle, facing each other with their bodies close to the ground. Soon enough Mintpaw leaped but Bladepaw dodged her attack and turned around, pinning her down to the ground again. Whitewish stood up proud,

"Well, well, seems like we have a natural fighter."

Bladepaw turned around to face his white mentor with wide happy eyes,

"Did I do great Whitewish?"

"Yes you did Bladepaw. You're quiet strong and fast."

Mintpaw got up and muttered with her ears flattened, her mentor giggled,

"Mintpaw, you are good at fighting too."

Barkstalker looked down at his apprentice, who looked up at him with nervous eyes,

"What's wrong Darkpaw?"

"Well…Bladepaw does seem to be good at fighting…I don't know if I would fight today at all…"

"You can do it Darkpaw, if a rogue can do it, then you can do it."

Barkstalker glanced at his daughter,

"Do you want to try battle training too little one?"

Snowpaw smiled,

"I would sure love to!"

Birdwing smiled,

"Ok, Mintpaw, you should take some rest, now let's see how Snowpaw can fight."

Mintpaw nodded and ran, sitting right next to Dark with a wide smile on her face. Snowpaw faced Bladepaw with narrow eyes, crouching down her shoulders and leaped at him, but the tom side stepped, getting her crashing into the ground. Snowpaw got up angry and charged at him, head butting him in the chest, Bladepaw hiss and kicked her away from him with fire burning in his eyes,

"Hey! That hurts!"

"It's called battle training! You get hurt in training you mouse brain!"

The two apprentices hissed and clawed at each other, Spottedfang immediately separated them with frustration, "Both of you stop!"

The two apprentices hissed at each other but looked away with their lips curled.

"Mintpaw, come on up, let's get back to training!"

Birdwing meowed at her apprentice. Mintpaw leaped back to her feet and quickly got into an attack stance. Before Barkstalker would tell Darkpaw to get up Ravenflight immediately interrupted the deputy,

"Dark, go up and fight. I want to see how strong you are."

Darkpaw's eyes glared at her father but then glanced at Dark. Dark didn't seem happy about this but depressingly got into an attack stance. Darkpaw glanced at the two cats, she wondered who would win, they were both rogues, maybe they would tie in fighting. Dark swiped one of his paws at Mintpaw, tripping her to the ground, he leaped and pinned her as his left paw pinned her neck down to the ground quickly.

"Hey!"

Mintpaw meowed,

"That hurts!"

Dark chuckled and slowly got off,

"Sorry Mintpaw."

"Dark! You do not get off from an opponent you mouse brain!"

Ravenflight hissed at his apprentice with annoyed eyes. Dark's ears immediately sink on top of his head, and quickly turned to attack his friend, but Mintpaw swiped at his cheek, leaving a thin scratch across his cheek. Dark stood in shock for a few seconds before he got back his attention when Mintpaw head butted him down to the ground.

"Dark! Concentrate!"

Ravenflight growled with frustration, grinding his teeth. Dark still stood there in the clearance with a shocked glance at his opponent who stood where she was standing with a confused stare,

"You ok Dark?"

Ravenflight barked at his apprentice,

"Dark, get back here!"

Dark turned to face his mentor and with his tail and head hanging down he padded towards his mentor.

"I think I can fight now,"

Ravenflight glanced and saw his daughter with her head high, facing her mentor. Barkstalker smiled,

"Ok, show him what you got to them Darkpaw."

Darkpaw smiled and nodded to her mentor and padded towards to face Mintpaw. Mintpaw sneered but in a playful manner.

"I can start first, if you're too afraid to fight me."

Darkpaw shook her head and got into her attack stance,

"I think I'm perfectly fine."

Without warning Mintpaw tripped Darkpaw and pinned her down to the ground, Darkpaw hissed and kicked her off from her with her legs. The white and black she cat landed on her back to the ground but slowly regained balance but was knocked over as Darkpaw swiped her back to the ground and pinned her back down. Mintpaw tried to get up but Darkpaw eventually put all her weight on top of her. Snowpaw laughed,

"You better get off from her! I think she's going to explode!"

Darkpaw giggled also but Barkstalker spoke,

"I think you better should."

The back she cat jumped off from her opponent and padded to her mentor,

"How did I do Barkstalker?"

Her mentor nodded,

"You did well, but please, when your battle training, don't try suffocating your opponent with your weight."

Ravenflight flicked his tail was he looked towards his apprentice that was doing a hunting stance,

"Crouch lower."

He meowed coldly and his apprentice did as he was told.

"Now leap and claw that small piece of wood over there, if you fail at that easy task then you are nothing but to be known as a kitty pet."

Dark concentrated, leaping and clawing the wood swiftly with his claws. The black mentor did not speak but nodded once, letting his apprentice know to do it again until he told him to stop.

"Haha! You squat down like your making dirt!"

Ravenflight looked over his shoulder and noticed Snowpaw bursting in laughter as Darkpaw glared at her but there was a smile crawling on her face,

"Oh be quiet Snowpaw!"

They both giggled and their mentors joined in the laugh.

"Please don't let me remember when I started to teach you a hunting stance again,"

Barkstalker meowed with amusement as Darkpaw glare at him. Birdwing giggled,

"I think she's doing good. But yes, she does need to get her behind and tail down."

The four cats burst into a laugh once more. Ravenflight sneaked a smile as he saw how his daughter was learning and getting better. He felt as if he was…proud.

"Ravenflight? Can I stop now? I've been clawing that bark over ten times now."

The black warrior looked back at his apprentice with annoyed eyes,

"this time leap and climb that tree, I taught you how to climb a tree yesterday. Now do it properly."

Dark said nothing but leaped onto the tree and climbed towards the top of the tree. Ravenflight looked behind his shoulder once again, this time noticing Mintpaw and Bladepaw leaping and trapping a small pebble as their two mentors watched them carefully. The two were not quite the experts yet but they were pretty good at jumping. It would be kind of rare though, Stoneclan was known to have the best hunters, but apparently their new apprentices seem to have different gifts that might give the clan a new meaning. Ravenflight turned back to look up at his apprentice, who seemed far high up the tree then he expected. Dark turned back to look down at his mentor from where he was up on the tree,

"How was that Ravenflight?"

Ravenflight's eyes widen, he didn't expected this rogue kit could climb trees this quickly with ease. His shock quickly turned to a hiss,

"Dark! I didn't tell you to climb that high! Get back down here now!"

He noticed his apprentice muttering something under his breath but quickly climbed back down to the ground. He looked up at Ravenflight with narrow eyes. Ravenflight glared back, his tail twitched back and forth,

"this time, try getting a mouse in the next fifth teen minutes, I taught you how to catch a mouse last time and I expect you to do the same."

Dark looked up at his mentor with the same angered eyes he did to him ever since he found out how he really treated cats like dirt.

"Well? Hurry up!"

Ravenflight hissed at his apprentice who finally ran off without making a rustling sound. The black warrior rolled his eyes and started to clean his paw when he felt a lot of eyes staring at him, he looked up and saw the others staring at him as if he was crazy.

"What?"

he asked, annoyance grew in his voice.

"You only taught basic hunting moves, I saw you training him."

Whitewish said, her tail twitching,

"Does he know where he might find mice the most?"

"No. Either way, I'm giving him a challenge. He'll have to find it for himself, anyway, he has two ears that he can use to hear things."

The white she cat hissed as she only flattened one ear, the other was completely ripped off from her head, her ear was gone several moons ago,

"Are you trying to tell me that I can't hunt as well as you can?!"

"Well, you do only have one ear and I am stronger then you anyway."

Whitewish felt her claws unsheathe but Spottedfang stopped her by blocking her way with his tail, the two cats looked at each other until Whitewish sigh and sat down. Snowpaw glared at Whitewish as Darkpaw giggled not too far as she noticed why her friend was glaring at the white she cat. Barkstalker's ears twitched with frustration,

"Ravenflight! You do not fight with you own clan mates!"

Ravenflight's cold eyes meet the deputy's honest brave eyes. 'He just think he knows everything doesn't he?' He thought to himself bitterly,

"Just make sure none of the other mentors interrupt my way of teaching apprentices, because Dark can do much better then Darkpaw if he becomes a warrior!"

Darkpaw's eyes widen, her father was underestimating her skills now! Barkstalker tilted his head with narrowed eyes,

"Was that a challenge?"

The forest was silent for a very long time as the two males glared at each other. Birdwing muttered,

"Let's don't get into a fight again, didn't we have enough fights again already? Plus, we lost a cat only a few days ago…and almost lost an apprentice,"

She faced Barkstalker who quickly turned to look down at his paws. Birdwing turned back to face the black warrior with frustrated eyes,

"By the way, I don't accept your attitude towards the clan, not only me but the others too. And as a senior warrior I think you should show a good example to the younger cats,"

Ravenflight was just able to hold back his tongue when Birdwing told him that. He saw the she cat nudging Mintpaw to follow her and like that she disappeared. And one by one the other mentors and apprentices left who returned empty handed, leaving only himself and his apprentice sitting down in silence. He took a deep breath, releasing his angers into the atmosphere. The silence was broken when his apprentice meowed, or more like shouted at him,

"Will you ever be a good example? A good role model to me? Or treat me fairly like the other mentors do to their apprentices? They seem to be having fun while their learning while…I just came back here empty handed because…I don't know how to hunt like a clan cat! I thought clan cats were better than this! Weren't they?!" The young tom's mentor hiss at him quickly,

"Shut your yap! I am training you to be a proper warrior! Unlike those soft hearted cats! Warriors now a day's don't train properly like they were meant to, they need to take training seriously, not playing around like that! And if you want to act that around me then you'll notice that your missing a body part the next minute you open your mouth!"

The mentor hissed as his apprentice grinded his teeth but was in silence.

"You might as well get back to your kitty pet life, Dark, oh wait, I might as well just call you rogue. Just get out of here if you think I'm treating you so harshly. Pfft, you'll never learn to be a proper warrior unless you succeed and actually impress me in your training skills, which would be rare anyway."

The black apprentice stood with frustration burned in his heart as his mentor padded away from him, leaving him behind.

"Thunderkit is born! Everyone! Dawnmist finally gave birth to her kit!"

Ashheart yowled with a wide grin on her face. It was good to find out that there was a new cat into a clan, but she was still sure some cats would be frustrated that would mean more mouths to feed. Ashheart went out to tell the wonderful news to the other cats as she left Lillyflower next to Dawnmist and Greypaw.

"Are you ok Dawnmist?"

The medicine cat asked with concern, this was not the first time she has been given birth to a kit and Dawnmist was getting weaker and weaker as she had a kit. Dawnmist chuckled but still lied on top of the patches of moss, "I'm fine…I'm used to the pain now…where is my kit?"

Lillyflower smiled as she revealed a small ginger kit with white paws and grey spots around her head. Dawnmist purred as she embraced her kit who was squealing lauder then any of the kits she ever gave birth to, "Oh, she does have a natural yawl."

"Indeed she does,"

Lillyflower smiled as she started to rearrange the herbs in the storage. Greypaw tried to take a gimps of the new born kit as Dawnmist cuddled Thunderkit. The queen noticed and smiled, showing the young tom the kit,

"She's beautiful isn't she?"

Greypaw did not answer but his ears flatten when the young kit squealed again. Before they could relax a whole punch of cats began pouring into the den, congratulating the queen just like they congratulated when she had her other kits. Fawneyes charged into the den, pushing all the others out of her way,

"Move it you mouse brains! I must see this new kit right now! I am checking her for our own good! We cannot have a weakling kit in our clan right now!"

Lillyflower giggled,

"Don't worry Fawneyes, Thunderkit is very healthy, she knows how to yowl too!"

Just as the she cat said that Thunderkit yowled and squeaked, which made the elder complain,

"Argh! A loud annoying cat was just born! This means more mouths to feed!"

Dawnmist chuckled to herself, never in her life did she ever seen Fawneyes happy when a kit was born. It was obvious because Fawneyes herself never had kits, she did not argue with the toms back then, Fawneyes is annoying. Thunderkit slowly crawled around the nest, and soon was very close to Greypaw's paw. The black and grey tom hesitated but started to get used of the new born kit and slowly smiled. The new born did not care and sniffed at the paw and began to clean it which made Fawneyes shriek,

"Gah! This is terrible! She just licked a cat from a different clan!"

Dawnmist giggled as she slowly put her kit back down right next to her,

"Oh calm down Fawneyes, it's not like as if our prisoner is poisonous to eat or anything."

A few of the other cats chuckled. Butterfly smiled and looked down at her belly filled with kits,

"I'm sure my kits would be born very soon too…I'm having so much trouble even when I try to sit down now…"

She meowed and sat down near Dawnmist. The black queen looked up at the cream queen,

"Is this your first time having kits?"

Butterfly smiled and nodded,

"I'm so excited to have my kits soon! I can't wait to name them too!"

The queen's mate chuckled and rubbed his head against his mate's head,

"I'll help you name the kits too Butterfly."

Dawnmist smiled but she narrowed her eyes when she noticed her mate and Darkpaw was not around to see her kit! Even though Butterfly never had kits yet, she had a mate that was always next to her and soon enough she would have kits herself! Dawnmist glared down at her daughter with sadden eyes, her mate would never come in time, it was just so common. There was always something else important then her giving birth to their own kits!


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Rainmist padded towards her camp from the hunt but only received a small mouse that she luckily found on her way back to her home. She took a deep breath and knew she could have gotten more prey if she did not just stopped by Amurtail. She felt her blood rush towards her cheeks as she remembered his big muscles under his soft fur…if only she could rub against him and be right next to him. She shook her head and scolded herself though, she was not allowed to fall in love with a cat from a different clan! She told herself as she padded past by several trees and to her surprise she felt someone nearby. She sniffed the air and her claws came out but noticed the same and familiar looking grey pelt brush past her, Echostar! Rainmist immediately put her prey down in front of herself and she dipped her head in respect towards her clan leader. Echostar stood before her with her head slightly high but she twitched her ear,

"Rainmist…"

She soon noticed the small little prey the best hunter in the her clan,

"You seem to have not that much luck today…"

"Well, I tried my best Echostar, it was just that there were not that many prey around…they all seem to be moving to Frozenclan's territory."

Echostar hissed with disgust,

"Don't mention their name…it makes me feel as if I've swallowed kitty pet food!"

Rainmist immediately apologized,

"I am very sorry!"

Rainmist once again dipped her head and to the leader's shock bowed. Echostar twitched her tail and narrowed her eyes,

"Rainmist, you do not need to bow like that before me…why are you the only one who bows before me?"

"Because you are our leader Echostar, aren't we supposed to bow?"

Echostar smirked, the young she cat was right,

"Well, you are correct Rainmist. But nobody really bowed before me…I used to have several cats bow before me when I had all my nine lives."

"I still think all of us should bow to you. You are our leader anyway. We must show respect on what everything you have done for us."

Echostar thought to herself for a few minutes and spoke,

"it's funny Rainmist,"

the white warrior looked at her leader's light blue eyes with curiosity,

"It's funny how you seem to be the only one who respects me in this clan now. Not many cats in the clan even believe or trust me because I do not fight."

"Fighting is not always an option but they are right Echostar, we need to fight for more territory. Even the best hunter of the clan could not get much prey like this and soon we would die out."

Rainmist meowed calmingly, impressing and surprising the leader. Echostar looked deep into Rainmist's blue eyes,

"You remind me of someone special Rainmist you know that? Her name…used to be Scarletpelt. She used to tell me that in the same calming voice you told me a second ago."

Rainmist said nothing but stared at her leader with concern eyes. Echostar was being calm and relaxed around her unlike herself where she was all stressed and tried not to blow up when she was in the clan.

"In fact, if I had to choose another deputy it might be you. Of course when Barkstalker and I die. Would you accept that though?"

Rainmist immediately bowed before the grey she cat again,

"it would be a great honor Echostar!"

"Hm, good. But don't tell this to anyone or else there would be arguments. And I do not want myself to get into any more fights right now. I'm not in the mood at all."

Echostar was about to pad away from Rainmist but the white she cat noticed strange claw marks around her neck and blood rolling from it!

"Echostar! You're neck…it's…it's bleeding!"

Echostar took a deep breath and turned to face Rainmist,

"yes I know and that is why I am going to find Lillyflower and Ashheart."

"What happened though?"

Echostar took a deep breath,

"I noticed a few rogues that seem interested in our territory Rainmist. Please don't tell this to anyone, Frozenclan and Waveclan gave us enough threats these moons. But now there's rogues…"

"Why did you fought alone then Echostar?! Why?"

"To prove myself."

Rainmist stood there shocked and couldn't believe herself…Echostar was being a mouse brain and coward! Rainmist growled under her breath, Echostar would soon enough destroy her clan…her family and her friends! There had to be another way,

"Echostar, I have an idea!"

The grey leader turned to look at her, her neck was slowly ripping again which made Rainmist flinch,

"Should we first go to the clan?"

"No it's ok. Just tell me quickly Rainmist."

"I noticed that we never really traveled to other territories…I noticed that there are large mountains and hills near the end of our territory! I think this is our opportunity for a group of warriors to go off and find a new camp for us. Then we would might let other skilled cats that might live in the mountains join us and our clan will get stronger and soon we would defeat Frozenclan!"

Echostar thought to herself for a few minutes and took a deep breath,

"I'll think about that…but it is a good idea. Come on, let's get back to camp and get myself healed. We also have a gathering today."

The two she cats disappeared as they ran back to their camp.

The stars were rising and the sun was sinking between the jagged mountains. Darkpaw took a deep breath and noticed herself back in the medicine den where Ashheart told her to go so she could check on her scars that were still healing on her back. Darkpaw didn't noticed Ashheart though and only saw Greypaw who was amazingly rearranging the herbs. The black she cat took a deep breath and entered,

"Uh…hi. Do you know where Ashheart is?"

The identical looking tom turned to see the same black she cat who bickered with him earlier,

"She went out to gather more yarrow."

"Oh…"

Darkpaw tried to think of a topic they could talk about so they wouldn't be in an awkward moment.

"So…seems like you're helping her out with the herbs. Is it fun?"

"Not really, it's interesting to learn about the herbs though. I don't think I'll be wanting to be a medicine cat though, I want to be leader. Or at least I used to want to be a leader until I got here…"

Greypaw trailed off as they both remembered when Echostar announced that Greypaw was going to be a slave and never would return to his home clan. Darkpaw padded and sat next to the older looking tom,

"I'll help you rearrange the herbs."

"Sure, that's fine with me. Just hand me over that herb over there."

The two cats quietly worked together and soon enough Darkpaw felt her paw touch Greypaw's paw when she was about to grab a piece of moss. She felt her blood rushing towards her face and made her black face turn into a dark red.

"Oh…uh…"

She stuttered as she looked up at Greypaw with her ears flattened. Greypaw's ears were flat against his head and he too was blushing slightly. Their eyes meet and Greypaw chuckled,

"You have nice eyes."

He admitted his thoughts and opinions to the younger she cat who replied with a small smile.

"Too bad you're not in the same clan as me…"

He trailed off as he got closer to Darkpaw who smiled wider as her face grew hotter. However Darkpaw suddenly noticed how close she was to the hostage and quickly peeled away from him. Greypaw frowned, "What's wrong? Oh…!"

He whispered to himself when he noticed that they were actually pretty close together. Even though the two were just apprentices you could tell that the two cats started to have a small crush on each other.

"You're from a different clan!"

Darkpaw muttered,

"So don't try being nice to me!"

"I wasn't being nice to you, you just wanted to help me arranging the herbs that's all."

"That's all?! Just…don't come close to me!"

Greypaw chuckled as he slightly noticed the black she cat smile but serious at the same time.

"Oh come on, I just wanted to be friends with you and have fun."

"Friends? With another cat from a different clan? In your dreams!"

"It's not like I could do anything to you at this rate. My arm is healing though."

Greypaw said as he stared at Darkpaw with a gentle smile.

"Hey, maybe we can both go out into the woods together. We can have fun there!"

Darkpaw insisted Greypaw who tilted his head,

"Would you really do that? I mean…I thought…"

"Well, it's not like anyone cares about me anyway."

Greypaw smiled and he felt that not all Stoneclan cats were cruel and violent as he thought they were. He first thought that Darkpaw was always a fox heart but today…something made him feel as if he could trust her. "Fine,"

Greypaw chuckled as he agreed to go with Darkpaw. Ashheart soon entered into the medicine den with several yarrow in her jaws, and the two younger cats knew Ashheart was very happy.

"Ok Darkpaw, let's check those scars of yours. I hope that Echostar's stupid choice did not made you get your scars reopen!"

Darkpaw padded towards the young medicine cat who looked down at her back and before any of them could react Ashheart gasped in horror.

"Oh great Starclan! Your scars are reopen again! Greypaw, you should have noticed that and yell for my name!" Ashheart whined at him as she searched for cobwebs in the storage room. Darkpaw winced as she felt the sticky cobwebs sinking into her reopen scars.

"Echostar is bringing nothing but injured cats and starving kits to this clan! We will soon die out sooner or later! Wish we had a different leader…"

Out of the corner of her eyes she noticed Greypaw's eyes narrow...he had the eyes of determination. But Darkpaw could not know on what he was determined to do.

"Bladepaw, Mintpaw, do you two…like this place?"

Dark asked his two friends as they returned from training and they were all sharing one small bird that one of the warriors were able to catch. Mintpaw looked up from the prey and smiled,

"I personally do but I'm getting a bit nervous on what Whitewish has been telling me…I heard that this clan is going to die out."

Bladepaw frowned,

"I heard that too…apparently another clan called Frozenclan is trying to take over. I like this clan though, we have food and shelter."

Dark groaned,

"So I am the only one who doesn't like or appreciate this clan."

Bladepaw chuckled,

"You hate this clan because you got the hot headed mentor. Don't worry you're not alone to hate him, I wish he was dead."

Mintpaw hissed at her friend,

"Hey! That's not a nice thing to say about another cat!"

"But he deserved it Mintpaw, he treats Dark like trash. Also the fact that we now know that Dark is actually a girl's name!"

Dark growled,

"My name is not a girl's name!"

"Fine! Fine! Geez, I was only joking Dark!"

The three apprentices continued eating until Mintpaw interrupted the silence,

"Well, we've been here for two moons now. We have four moons more to go until we're warriors."

Bladepaw smiled,

"I can't wait till we all become warriors, we might even get to make our own clans!"

The three young cats heard a muttering voice behind them,

"Creating your own clan is not possible or easy!"

Fawneyes scolded the three apprentices with a scowl on her face,

"Starclan only made four clans and it will always stay that way! Also the fact that all the three of you having nine lives is scary to think about."

Dark blinked,

"Nine…nine lives? What do you mean by that?"

The elder rolled her eyes,

"I almost forgot that none of the others told you about what happens when you become leader of a clan. When you become a leader you have to travel to the moon stone and touch it, visit Starclan and in return get your nine lives."

The three apprentices looked as if the elder was crazy.

"I think she went crazy,"

Bladepaw whispered into Mintpaw's ears and the she cat nodded with agreement. Fawneyes noticed it and flicked her tail,

"Hmph! Seems like you three don't believe me! But it is true. Echostar had lost several lives now, but she is still ruling over us because of her stupid lives."

"You don't seem to appreciate her,"

Dark told the elder with a raised eyebrow.

"Of course I do, but she does get me worried…she's quite different then most normal leaders…I think she's going a bit crazy if you know what I am thinking and talking about. It happened ever since that night…"

The elder muttered under her breath and sadly looked down at her wrinkled paws. Mintpaw tilted her head, "What happened?"

"Well,"

Fawneyes faced the three apprentices,

"One night the clan found out that Echostar was pregnant…nobody knows who the tom she mated with was. But we did not argue and soon the kit grew to be Scarletpelt, she was a top hunter but not a fighter. One night Stoneclan invaded Frozenclan for a serious reason, but Icestar killed Scarletpelt…making Echostar turn crazy. I worry for her health and this clan."

Mintpaw's ears flattened and meowed with sympathy,

"Poor Echostar…it must have been so hard for her…"

"But that did not mean she would drag the rest of us down to this disaster! As you can see we are all dying now! You foolish rogues just ignored my bickering and joined us which means we would not have much prey for ourselves and die quicker! Starclan seems to be going against my clan nowadays!"

Dark hissed with anger,

"We can't help it if we were rogues! But now we're one of you, so you should respect us as you respect your other clan mates!"

Fawneyes hissed back,

"Don't tell me what to do you useless scum!"

Dark felt a cold raindrop hit the tip of his ears, making them twitch. Fawneyes growled in annoyance and grabbed the small prey that Bladepaw and Mintpaw were still eating.

"Hey!"

Bladepaw whined,

"Why are you taking it away from us?!"

Fawneyes rolled her eyes as she padded towards her den as the rain started to pour,

"I'm hungry. Because I'm an elder and my days are getting closer I am going to pretend and remember the happy moments I had in this clan long time ago. And for one thing I will not respect outsiders like you unstill you three prove yourselves that you are useful to the clan."

The elder told them simply and disappeared into the elder's den. Dark was still standing and growling as Bladepaw and Mintpaw went on arguing on how hungry they were. The three apprentices decided to get away from the rain before they were completely soaked and so they ran towards the apprentice's den. The den was not warm but it still sheltered the young apprentices and all the three of them started to shake themselves to dry themselves. Snowpaw was the first to greet the three with a glare,

"Hey! Stop shaking your fur!"

Bladepaw sneered and padded up to Snowpaw and shacked his fur and earned himself a thin scratch on his shoulder,

"Hey!"

He shouted at the white apprentice who stuck out her tongue.

"Where's Darkpaw?"

Mintpaw asked with a tilted head. Snowpaw yawned,

"Well, she's in the medicine den. I hope her scars did not reopen. Why would three rogues care about her anyway? Something happened between you guys?"

Mintpaw shook her head,

"No, it's just that when we normally see you Darkpaw is always right next to you. Unless when it's training time."

The apprentices were about to rest into their nests until they heard a loud yowl,

"Cats old enough to catch their own prey, meet me on the high rock!"

The familiar echoing voice reached all of their ears, making the three former rogues groan.

"We all know that today is the day of another gathering. I will be choosing…Rainmist, Bolttail, Whitewish, Barkstalker, Ravenflight, Darkpaw, Dark, Mintpaw and Bladepaw."

The four apprentice's eyes widen but Snowpaw's eyes were the widest,

"WHAT?!"

The three other apprentices didn't know how to react but to exchange shocked and confused looks.

I can't believe it…ALL the three of you…ALL of you are going to the gathering all but me! This is so unfair!" Bladepaw smirked and winked,

"Seems like rogues make better warriors now in this clan."

Snowpaw hissed as her claws came out from her paws,

"Don't make me kill you!"

The cats around them stared at the four apprentices with embarrassed faces. The rain was still pouring but Echostar seemed not to care less about the cold liquid getting her pelt wet. She yowled,

"Well?! Hurry up and let's get going!"

Dawnmist sigh as she saw her mate padding away with his serious face, brushing roughly against her. "Ravenflight?"

She meowed quietly to stop her husband. Ravenflight halted for a brief second and turned slightly to give his mate a glare,

"What?"

Dawnmist gulped,

"I gave birth…to a beautiful she cat name Thunderkit…just letting you know."

Ravenflight's narrow cold eyes narrowed even harder,

"Pathetic."

Was all he could say and pad away, leaving a shocked and emotionless she cat stand in the cold rain. Dawnmist was thankful because it was raining because it hid her tears that were streaming down her cheeks. Once again she had failed to give birth to a tom and earned more hatred from her mate.

Darkpaw was about to pad away before she felt Greypaw's paw gently holding her tail down. Ashheart and Lillyflower were apparently working hard on rearranging the herbs because the two apprentices had failed on arranging the herbs properly. Darkpaw's heart thumped as her eyes meet Greypaw's.

"Be careful, especially my father, he will do anything to hurt your clan members now."

Darkpaw couldn't help but blush as she heard his deep and worried voice. She nodded with a small smile, "Don't worry, I'll be okay."

Greypaw quietly lifted up his paw to let go of Darkpaw's fluffy dark grey tail. And before he could react Darkpaw quickly brushed against him and padded away, leaving a red faced Greypaw standing there as if he was casted in a spell.

"Oh my Starclan…"

The young tom glanced and noticed Ashheart and Lillyflower staring at him with wide opened eyes. The Stoneclan cats slowly ran out from their camps to get to their destination quickly as they could.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Rainmist and the others had finally got to the gathering and luckily they were not late as they usually were. She noticed her younger sister and the rogue apprentices running off and starting to ask several questions to other clan cats and that made her smile. Strangely the Frozenclan cats were not around. Rainmist took a deep breath, she did not wanted those savages to come to the meeting and hoped that the meeting would end without them. The white warrior glanced around with a gentle smile until she felt the same sleek orange pelt brush against her. She glared at the smiling tom,

"What do you want?"

She asked coldly at Bolttail who was blushing madly but didn't say anything until Rainmist was about to walk away.

"I was just brushing against you to keep you warm, it is raining anyway."

The beautiful white she cat rolled her eyes,

"I don't need your warmth. I am a full grown warrior and can handle myself."

Bolttail leaned closer however and despite all the cats around them they all didn't seem to be caring or listening to the two cats conversation.

"Get away,"

Rainmist told the creepy cat with a serious face this time but the orange tom only purred.

"Why? I'm just interested in you."

"Well I'm not interested in you! Get away from me, you're creeping me out!"

"Aw…don't get all angry with me Rainmist. I know you love me down there."

Rainmist hissed as she pushed passed the orange tom and was about to disappear into the crowd until she noticed his amber eyes glowing,

"Don't go."

"Well I am going, plus you are not the leader."

Bolttail pushed past the other cats and leaned against her, his nose almost touching hers,

"We could have kits together."

Rainmist's eyes widen and was about to push past him but she felt his paws holding her tail down! Rainmist quickly looked around with a desperate face but nobody was paying any attention! She couldn't fight him back…it was a warrior code! Just before the orange tom could touch his nose to hers, a warm voice said,

"Leave the she cat alone, you're bothering her."

Rainmist and Bolttail both looked up at the same time to see Amurtail who was twitching his tail.

"Who are you?"

Bolttail asked with a hiss. The strong Waveclan tom narrowed his dark blue eyes,

"Amurtail of Waveclan. I notice you were annoying that she cat. You should leave her alone."

"She is my clan member you mouse brain! Mind your own business!"

"This is a gathering, we all get into other cat's businesses here. Now get away."

"What will happen if I don't?!"

The two toms hissed as they revealed their deadly claws and teeth but Rainmist meowed before they could touch each other,

"Bolttail, leave now please. It is embarrassing enough to attract other clan cats' attention!"

The orange tom hesitated but noticed Rainmist was dead serious. He gave Amurtail cold death glares. However Bolttail soon padded away without question and leaved the two warriors in the crowd. Rainmist turned to face a smiling Amurtail,

"I was having it under control you know."

Amurtail chuckled,

"Oh really? I should be hearing a thankful and happy she cat right now."

"Hmph! I know him better then you Amurtail, you should stay out of my way."

"But I can't, I think I…"

Rainmist's eyes widen as Amurtail looked into her eyes with sorrow,

"I…"

The white she cat's ears flattened and clenched her teeth,

"Amurtail, you wouldn't…"

"I'm sorry Rainmist…"

Rainmist's ears flatten and were about to pad off until Amurtail blocked her way.

"Oh great, first Bolttail and now it's you!"

She hissed under her breath.

"The moment I set my eyes on you I thought my heart would stop beating…you were just so…amazingly beautiful! I couldn't just let you go off like that easily."

"You're trying to get yourself into trouble have you noticed that? I am only thinking on mating with a Stoneclan warrior, just letting you know so you can forget about getting your paws on me."

"Rainmist I'll do anything to be with you! I'll join your clan!"

"What?!"

Rainmist's eyes widen as she noticed that Amurtail was actually serious. She took a deep breath, "Amurtail…what can I do with you? You're a great tom but with the warrior code we can't be together."

"Please let me be with you, I'll do anything! I'll give you my prey every single day!"

"Don't. That'll only get you into big trouble to your clan, I don't want to cause any more trouble."

The two warriors stared at each other for a few minutes until Amurtail licked Rainmist's nose and purred in her ear,

"Meet me tomorrow at the place we've last meet."

Before the white she cat could argue with him he swiftly disappeared from her.

Frozenclan finally arrived with very few warriors. The Frozenclan warriors were all scratched and beaten up because of their recent 'visit' to Stoneclan. Waveclan and Swiftclan gasped as they noticed the beaten up warriors and murmured among themselves. Icestar was glaring at all of them, he was not holding his head high but it was held rather low for the proud leader and he was hissing whenever a he bumped into a warrior that stood in his way. He was defiantly glaring at Echostar and the Stoneclan warriors who were just finishing off on what was going on in their clan. Echostar was not mentioning about the Frozenclan attacks but when the Frozenclan leader came into the gathering the calm and happy meeting turned into a fight.

"You took my son!"

Icestar yelled at Echostar who didn't flinch even though most of the cats around her did. Icestar unsheathed his claws and stood in an attack stance,

"Give me back my son you disgraceful fox hearted bastard!"

The cats around him gasped on how such disrespect he was showing to the female leader. Breezestar stood before Echostar as he lashed his tail,

"What are you doing? You are not allowed to…!"

"She stole my son! And now she killed him! And in return I will take her life at this very spot!"

Seastar's eyes widen,

"We are not allowed to fight here Icestar! What is going on between you two now?!"

Icestar hissed at Echostar,

"Tell them!"

The grey leader stared at him with emotionless eyes and spoke nothing.

"I said tell them!"

Icestar shouted louder and this time his eyes were tearing up!

"Frozenclan has attacked my clan, in return we have kidnapped his son."

Echostar spoke with in a matter of fact tone. The clans gasped but the grey leader lashed her tail for silence, "We will not kill him but I decided to keep Icestar's precious son to my clan, as a slave for the rest of his life. Icestar had taken a queen's and kits' life, also my daughter, former deputy and almost took an apprentice! For his actions he will feel the pain on losing so many cats!"

All the cats yowled and hissed as the two leaders were now hunched over and walking slowly in circles, both of their claws were out and the other two clan leaders were standing back with wide eyes.

"Do something!"

Whitewish yelled at the two leaders who were standing dumbfounded.

"Kill her!"

Scarface hissed as he urged his leader to leap and kill the Stoneclan leader.

"This is the end Echostar…you are going to die here…"

Icestar hissed at the female leader who was glaring back at him,

"I don't have one life you mouse brain…I have two."

Icestar sneered,

"Then that's perfect…I'll take one of them and that'll mean you'll have to be embarrassed that I killed you…or…I will kill you here!"

The large muscular tom growled as he leaped into the air, his claws were glistening in the moonlight and the crowd of cats were crying and shouting louder to stop him. Icestar sneered as he noticed that Echostar was frozen to that spot with a glint of fear in her eyes. He would now get her! And soon enough he felt fresh blood and flesh between his jaws and with a quick hard bite, crushed the throat.

Everything stopped as they found out what had happened. Everyone was still, even Icestar was still even though he had a cat in between his jaws…Breezestar. Echostar stood there, her eyes widen so big it would have popped out from her head. Breezestar was limp in Icestar's jaws. Nobody spoke a word until the deputy of Swiftclan, Frozenleaf screamed in terror,

"Breezestar! No!"

Soon enough the other Swiftclan cats roared in anger and sympathy to their dead leader! Icestar rolled his eyes as he spat out the white leader who was in his mouth. Breezestar fell in front of Echostar who was shivering with tears forming in her eyes.

"Mouse brain…he should have never got in my way…"

Icestar hissed under his breath as he licked his lips to clean them. For a few moments everything was quiet once again but there was a small yellow glow around the dead leader and soon enough Breezestar's eyes slowly opened. He got up, having trouble with his legs that felt like jelly and fell face first on top of the rock. Echostar and Frozenleaf raced up to him and the deputy started to help him get up on his feet.

"We have to get him back to the clan…"

Frozenleaf muttered with worried eyes as she glared at Echostar,

"Can't you do anything right as a leader?! Now because of you Breezestar lost a life!"

The deputy hissed at the leader who stood still while Breezestar was trying to get back up by himself. "Frozenleaf, it's ok…Echostar…"

Echostar's heart stopped as she heard her name being spoken to her forbidden mate. Breezestar gently got closer to the grey leader and whispered in her ear,

"I love you…"

Echostar closed her eyes,

"How many lives do you have left Breezestar?"

She asked as she tried to hold back her tears from streaming down her face. The white leader took a deep breath before answering her question,

"One."

"How was your first gathering Darkpaw?"

Darkpaw glanced up at her mother who seemed happy but worried at the same time because she noticed that she was frowning after she returned from the gathering.

"Breezestar…he…he lost a life protecting Echostar."

Dawnmist's eyes widen,

"You serious?"

Darkpaw said nothing to her mother and continued to look down at her paws. She remembered there was so much blood and she remembered Echostar's reaction when Breezestar whispered something in her ear. She wondered what he had told Echostar that time.

"Mama?"

Dawnmist looked up and smiled at her daughter,

"What's is it?"

"Would you have protected Echostar?"

"Hm…"

Dawnmist frowned,

"Of course I would, what kind of question is that?"

Darkpaw did not answer. Dawnmist sigh as she licked Thunderkit who was now rolling around on the ground with a smile on her face,

"Hi Darkpaw!"

Darkpaw forced a smile to her new sister, Darkpaw was not really used to the little kit yet. The strange ginger pelt was not really expected from a black she cat like Dawnmist.

"Hi Thunderkit…you look excited today."

"Of course I am! Four more moons until I'm an apprentice! Who wouldn't be excited?!"

Darkpaw just stared at her little sister with emotionless eyes and said nothing. Thunderkit tilted her head, a bit worried of her older sister's behavior,

"Darkpaw? You ok? Did I said something wrong?"

"No, you didn't"

Darkpaw answered her little sister and sigh. Dawnmist frowned as Darkpaw padded out from the nursery den. Sooner or later rumors would surely go around and by then she would know what exactly was going on once in for all.

Whitefire glanced around and noticed how happy his older sister looked, she seemed to have a pinker face than usual.

"What happened now? You meet a tom didn't you?"

He teased Rainmist who was twitching her tail and held her head high in the air,

"I am not telling you!"

Whitefire smirked, "What did he look like? Was he your dream mate? Did he had big strong muscles under his sleek fur?"

Whitefire meowed sarcastically as Rainmist blushed on how he described the tom.

"I would never fall for a tom! Never in my life! I declared that I will never find a mate of my own Whitefire and that's final."

Her younger brother snorted,

"You only say that, but deep down you're just dying to find the perfect tom."

"Shut your mouth Whitefire!"

Whitefire chuckled as his sister's fluffy white tail smacked the end of his black nose. Amurtail…he was a charming tom is you get to know him. His warm yet brave blue eyes made Rainmist's heart flutter. And whenever he called her name her head would have so much blood she felt like she would explode! She daydreamed as the best hunter in the clan pranced off around the camp with a happy face while most of the cats around her were shocked from what happened in the meeting. Just before she would turn around she bumped into something soft! Rainmist looked down at her chest and noticed the prisoner that she had seen from the battles two months ago! Greypaw blushed and stuttered to the somewhat senior warrior,

"I am so sorry about that!"

He apologized to the warrior as he jumped one step away from Rainmist. Instead of screaming and yelling at him that he Rainmist giggled as she tapped on Greypaw's nose gently,

"It's ok, just don't bump into me like that ok?"

"Uh…ok."

Greypaw muttered nervously as he was about to pad by until Rainmist stopped him,

"So, how's your days in Stoneclan? You enjoying it now a days?"

Greypaw thought for a second and remembered what happened a few hours ago with Darkpaw and soon enough he started to blush,

"Well…I uh…"

Rainmist tilted her head and started to get curious on why he was having a hard time to answer his question. "Well, I guess it's ok."

He finally answered Rainmist's question.

"So…when will Echostar let me go?"

The white warrior sigh,

"She won't…I'll at least try to convince to turn you into a warrior, you only seem to have two moons left until you are supposed to become a warrior, right?"

"Actually I would have been a warrior right now. Well, not until the invasion…"

Greypaw muttered under his breath as he held his head down. Rainmist smiled sadly,

"I'll ask Echostar, I already know you can fight well, you just need to learn a few more tips that's all. Also the fact that it's soon going to be leaf fall…we better get more warriors already!"

Greypaw's ears twitched, being a warrior for a different clan?! He felt his claws digging into the cold earth as he thought about it. He would be known as a total coward and traitor! But what could he do here? He had no choice but to be a warrior, besides being a warrior was better than being a slave forever. Rainmist was doing him a favor.

"Thank you,"

Greypaw told Rainmist with a dip of his head. The white she cat smiled and dipped back,

"It's my pleasure to help you. Even though you almost tried to kill Darkpaw."

"I promise I won't try killing her again,"

Greypaw told the white she cat as the white she cat smiled.

"You sure this is a good idea?"

Greypaw asked as he followed Darkpaw and the other three rogues and one white apprentice to the secret hideout that they apparently had. Greypaw and the other four other apprentices were not going so well but he was still following them because Darkpaw insisted.

"Of course this is a good idea, don't worry. We'll be back before any of the cats in the camp notice,"

Darkpaw remarked confidently. Snowpaw tilted her head,

"I'm not sure my father and the other warriors would get tricked so easily."

Bladepaw shrugged,

"They won't notice a few young apprentices gone out early. Hey! I have an idea so we all won't get in trouble!" The other apprentices stopped to face the light grey tom who was smiling from ear to ear.

"It better be good, last time when you had a plan we almost got run over by a monster."

Dark muttered to himself as the she cats of the group were shocked. Mintpaw shouted,

"Since when did that happen?! The two of you didn't tell me that!"

Snowpaw hissed under her breath,

"Shut up you mouse brain! You're going to get us all caught and how knows what punishment we'll get? We might have to be apprentices for several moons!"

Bladepaw coughed to get all of their attention,

"Well, anyway to my plan. I was planning we should just catch and hunt down a few prey and get back to the camp with it so when the others ask where we were we can lie that we were out training and hunting harder!" The apprentices nodded, it seemed to be a good idea. The apprentices were quickly silenced and continued to pad towards their hide out. The trees seemed to be growing taller as they all went deeper into the forest but soon enough they reached an open clearing in the forest that made Greypaw gasp. Darkpaw smiled,

"This is the place where we call the Clearing. It's amazing isn't it? Snowpaw found it and told me about it a moon ago. I thought this would be a good place to play around."

In the middle of the clearing there was a neat little pond that was glistening from the moonlight and for one thing Greypaw felt that he was glad he was kept captive in this clan. The she cats of the group giggled as they went off running around, their small paws racing off across the soft freshly cut grass. While all of them were enjoying the beautiful open, Dark was the only one who was looking back at the dark crowded trees where they came from, he just hoped that nobody was spying on them right now.

"Hey Dark! Look at this!"

Bladepaw shouted to get his buddy's attention as he picked up a long heavy stick. Dark rolled his eyes, "Wow…a stick, very exciting. We've seen this like a thousand times in the forest."

"I know, but we could use this to make a trap or something!"

Dark rolled his eyes and padded away,

"You can build it but I'm staying on guard to see if any cats are looking for us."

Bladepaw sigh as he watched his best friend go off and sit under a short oak tree. Mintpaw came up behind him and sigh along,

"Too bad that he's not really used to the clan yet…we've been here for two months, don't you think he should get used to it?"

"I know…but you know him, he didn't even know who his parents were so he barely trusts anyone. It's sad for him to not enjoy running around with us."

Mintpaw decided to change the subject so the two of them could feel better again,

"Hey, I'm going to go catch something! I bet you can't catch anything!"

"Oh really? We'll have to see about that!"

Bladepaw declared as he playfully nipped on Mintpaw's ear tips, making Mintpaw giggle and run off towards a few trees. Bladepaw smirked and ran after his friend.

Greypaw glanced around, his heart beating quickly and his eyes wide to make sure his enemy was not catching up to him. Soon enough he noticed from the side of his eye something moved quickly and with a quickly slash of him paw send Darkpaw rolling down the small hill. Greypaw chuckled as Darkpaw crashed into a pile of leaves,

"Hey!"

She shouted but giggled at the same time. Greypaw couldn't help but smile and pad towards his new friend, spending time with Darkpaw was starting to make him feel relaxed and happy again when he was with Silverpaw and Icestar. Darkpaw reminded him so much of his sister…how much she wanted to train but she was different, she wanted to try out anything, even though it was very dangerous. Silverpaw would easily get scared and cower when they had to do something dangerous but always seemed excited and confident when it came to fighting. And when Darkpaw laughed or giggled, it sounded so similar to when Silverpaw laughed or giggled herself. Greypaw landed and pinned Darkpaw on the leafy ground. The two cats were staring at each other for a brief second but took a deep breath with satisfaction.

"You're so good at this!"

Darkpaw remarked as she tried to get out from Greypaw's gentle but strong grip. The older tom laughed,

"Well I've been training longer then you so of course I know more. Even though,"

His tail flicked towards Bladepaw,

"He seems to be a bit older than me. I think he should have been a warrior if he was clan born and also that she cat over there,"

Greypaw nodded towards Mintpaw who was stalking something around an oak tree. Darkpaw sigh,

"I wish I was as strong as you."

Greypaw's eyes widen, nobody ever wanted to have the same strength as him! He was considered the weakest cat in his clan! He looked down at Darkpaw with disbelieving eyes. Darkpaw in return gave him a serious yet determining smile,

"I'm not lying, you're so strong that it makes me jealous. Well, even though Whitefire could have killed you back then, you were stronger than most of the cats in my clan! My father wanted a tom who was very strong and now that I think about it,"

her eyes glistened,

"I think he meant someone as strong as you. I think my father would be proud it only…"

Greypaw interrupted,

"You'll be strong as me when you train hard enough, but I think you'll be even stronger then I imagine. I noticed you have strong shoulders, that was why I wanted to hurt your shoulders and back so you won't use them when my clan and I attacked the camp."

Darkpaw's eyes widen,

"You…you mean that?! I was strong?!"

"Well,"

He chuckled,

"you were pretty strong for a young apprentice your age. I wouldn't even had the guts when I was just a young apprentice like you back then."

"Greypaw,"

The tom raised an eyebrow,

"What?"

Darkpaw giggled as she touched her nose to his neck,

"You know that we're about the same age right?"

"Only four moons apart, yes."

"Will you stay with us? In Stoneclan?"

Greypaw's smile turned slowly into a frown. He loved his new friend and the opening but he had a family and clan that was waiting for him and he was destined to serve! He couldn't just betray his clan like that just because a single she cat from a different clan asked him…or even pleaded him to stay here. But he couldn't see her sad face right here, she was so happy and he wanted to see her happy. He forced a smile and took a deep breath before he lied,

"Of course I'll stay here! What else would I do?"

Darkpaw's eyes immediately lightened up,

"Really?! You're serious?"

"Of course I am. I'll do anything to make you happy, you're my best friend."

Darkpaw's ears flattened and blushed when she noticed they were staring at each other again. But she didn't notice that Snowpaw had listened to the entire conversation.

Snowpaw's ears flattened and hatred began to boil in her heart when she noticed her so called best friend had just told the slave that he was her best friend! She couldn't stand it as she noticed how happy they looked when they were together! And even more…she felt that something else was going on between those two. Darkpaw seemed to be going a bit red but she couldn't quite tell because it was still dark at night. Snowpaw shook her head, there was no way her best friend would fall in love with a slave! Snowpaw sigh, she would so anything to keep her friend out of trouble. She had lost a mother, and barely sees her father. She could not bear to lose anything else now. Her eyes caught Dark who was still leaning against the tree, turned to their direction but seemed to be looking down at his paws when he must have noticed Snowpaw looked at him. Snowpaw rolled her eyes and padded towards the tom who still did not make eye contact.

"What are you doing here? I thought you were supposed to have fun around here."

"I…I was just looking and checking if any of the cats in the clan might come look for us."

"Oh really?"

Snowpaw asked with a sarcastic voice,

"You seemed to be facing the wrong way then my friend, you are apparently spying on us. If you were looking for the others, you should be turned to face the trees behind you. Just letting you know."

Dark glared up at her,

"Fine, you caught me."

"Good, tell me what you're doing over here."

"I…"

He glanced over behind Snowpaw with a blank expression in his eyes. Snowpaw turned to face where the tom was looking at and a little sad smile crawled up on her face,

"Oh."

The poor tom had been staring and Greypaw and Darkpaw who were now apparently smiling and looking at each other deeply in the eyes even thought they were only apprentices.

"Trust me, Darkpaw would never fall for a slave,"

Snowpaw purred in amusement to the tom who glanced at her with shock,

"I…I wasn't interested in her or anything!"

The white she cat snorted,

"Sure you weren't. But it's cute to see you having a crush on her, even though,"

She sigh,

"It's obvious that you two won't be together. Quite dramatic isn't it?"

"What? Listen here Snowpaw, but I don't care about Darkpaw!"

He shouted at her and without saying another word, stopped off grumpily to another few groups of oak trees that were not too far away.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Rainmist yawned as she got out from the warrior's den, she was so sleepy after last night. She was able to convince Echostar when the sun was just about to rise. She was able to convince that Greypaw should be a new apprentice to the clan so they would have more warriors. She smiled as she noticed the identical looking cat to her sister came padding out slowly from the medicine den. Strangely dark bags were hanging under his eyes and he was smiling which was unusual to see in his situation. She also noticed a few new prey on the food pile that she did not recognized and the other apprentices passed by her with more dark bags under their eyes. She quickly knew that they must have gone hunting out that night.

"Hey,"

The beautiful she cat turned to her right and noticed Bolttail who was frowning,

"I'm sorry…about what I did at the gathering. I was such a jerk."

Rainmist said nothing, she was not sure if she could forgive him but he did apologized did he?

"It's ok,"

She told him with a fake grin. Bolttail immediately smiled,

"Thank you for forgiving me! I promise you won't regret it, I'll do everything for you Rainmist! And I'll empress you with all I have!"

Sweet yet cheesy Rainmist thought to herself. Her blue eyes caught the familiar grey pelt that leaked out from the leader's den. She knew that Echostar was about to announce the news to everyone.

"Cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather around the high rocks for a clan meeting!"

Echostar hollered out in her camp. Immediately everyone was out in front of her. The she cat smiled and tucked her tail between her paws, she was satisfied on how quickly her clan mates listened to orders. Her eyes narrowed and frowned when she noticed that the slave was not around,

"Bring Greypaw here!"

She commanded a bit coldly and within an instant Greypaw was dragged out by Barkstalker, who threw the young tom before the high rocks. The young tom looked up at the she cat with a disgusted frown, he fears me deep inside, Echostar thought to herself and sneered. She leaped and landed in front of the tom, her tail stinging his nose to let him know to get up. Greypaw forced himself to sit up but glared down at his paws.

"As you can all see, we are gathered here to finally announce this slave's faith."

Echostar reminded all her clan members. There were murmurs among the clan and Fawneyes seem happy, she was expecting this disgraceful cat to be executed. Stoneclan was known to be a soft hearted clan but ever since Echostar took over things changed. Most of the slaves they had caught would eventually be executed, even though the leader would have told them they would be slaves forever. Rainmist took a deep breath and looked determined towards her leader and to the corner of her eyes she noticed her younger sister frowning and had a worried expression across her face.

"I have decided, that this young tom named Greypaw,"

Greypaw flinched when she called him by name,

"will be officially a Stoneclan member!"

The young tom's eyes widen and his mouth was wide open in disbelief. The crowd of cats were arguing and hissing at their leader but Echostar lashed her tail, yowled and even clawed at the crowd of cats. The cats gasped as they noticed how different her pelt looked like, the hair was sticking out and her beautiful eyes were spinning with insane colors flashing in them, as if she was finally turning into a demon! The crowd soon turned quiet and Echostar sneered,

"Just what I expected. As I was saying,"

She turned to face Greypaw again,

"you are now an official Stoneclan member. In return you must hunt and fight for us, the moment I noticed your betrayal,"

Her claws flexed before his eyes,

"you wouldn't even handle the pain. But oh don't worry, I won't kill you. I would only take a limb from you." Echostar whispered in his ears. She turned to face her clan and her eyes meet Rainmist,

"Because you are only an apprentice, you're mentor will be Rainmist."

The crowd gasped as Rainmist's eyes widen as she heard her name being slipped out from Echostar's lips. "Rainmist!"

Echostar yowled, this time her voice cracked with impatience. Rainmist quickly got to the two cats and touched her nose to Greypaw's nose. Echostar hissed to the crowd,

"Meeting dismissed!"

"It's quite strange, Echostar just magically made that tom into our clan mate!"

Whitefire muttered under his breath as Snake flicked his tail back and forth.

"What would you expect? You're clan leader is getting crazier and crazier…haven't you noticed she changed a bit?"

The white warrior turned to face the strange clan mate,

"What do you mean by that?"

Snake rolled his eyes as he flexed his claws to clean them, "well…how should I explain this? She seems a bit crazier and aggressive when we last seen her. A moment ago the back of her neck was bloody and Rainmist was with her. And now…I got the feeling this has to do with her nine lives."

Whitefire's eyes widen,

"You wouldn't think…" He glanced to look at his leader who was now a bit different looking when he had last seen her. It was true, in his life he noticed how she changed. Her mind and body started to change as her teeth were getting bigger and her claws were getting sharper. One time on a mission he had seen her run over by a monster before his eyes! He thought she was dead but she came back alive and immediately needed rest. The day after that he noticed she indeed looked a bit crazier and aggressive. He flinched at the thought of Echostar on her last life! How many lives did she had now anyway?

"She had two left and something tells me she won't be on her second life for long,"

Snake whispered, still checking his claws.

"How do you know she's on her second life…?"

Snake sneered,

"Sonny, you don't have to know."

"Daddy?"

Snowpaw whispered as her voice echoed in the forest. Her father stopped padding and turned to face her with a small frown,

"What is it?"

He asked with a quiet voice.

"You barely talked today. The last time we've speak and had time together was…four days now! You feeling ok?"

"Of course I am, it's just that…"

Snowpaw's blue eyes harden,

"Don't lie to me! You barely talked or even looked at me when I was training with my friends! Something is going on right now, and you're not telling me!"

"Snowpaw, I don't know what you're talking about."

Snowpaw hissed,

"Do I have to force you to tell me what you're hiding from me?!"

Barkstalker's frown grew bigger,

"Snowpaw, please don't be like this."

"Well, tell me then!"

Barkstalker ignored his daughter and went off padding deeper into the woods.

"Daddy! Tell me now!"

Snowpaw ordered as she felt her tears forming in her eyes. Where was he going?! Barkstalker's pace quicken but his daughter leaped and stopped before him, determined to know what was going on.

"Don't ignore me! You've been like this ever since that day! You're not the only one suffering daddy! You barely talk to me anymore and I'm getting worried sick but all you do is walk away from me! I don't like you when you're like this, it makes me feel I'm all alone! I keep on forcing myself that I'm not alone but it's hard! Sometimes I think you don't even love me anymore!"

"Fine!"

Barkstalker shouted at his daughter which made her flinch at how loud his voice was,

"you want to know the truth?! Then I will tell you the truth!"

Snowpaw felt one tear trickling down her right cheek when she noticed that her father himself was trying to hold back tears.

"I had enough of being tortured in my life Snowpaw! Ever since when I was a kit…both of my parents…gone! My brother and sister were both killed in battle and now…my wife! What else could I lose?! My title is also gone! If you've noticed Echostar is spending more time with Rainmist and I can tell that Rainmist will be my replacement!"

Snowpaw was shocked to hear all of this at once, her father was quiet calm for a few moons after what had happened.

"So I'm leaving!"

He finished off but he couldn't hold back his tears now, because they were trickling down his chin.

But…you have me daddy! Don't leave me! Stay here with me daddy, please!"

Snowpaw burst out with her tears flying around her, her paw clenched around her father's front arm. Barkstalker glanced down at his daughter,

"What could I do now?!"

He yowled at her as he crocked from his tears.

"At least stay here until I become a warrior! At least till then! Just stay here till that very moment before you leave!"

Snowpaw looked down at her paws, shacking at the flashback she that had happened a few hours ago. "Snowpaw? You ok? What happened?"

Spottedfang asked after Whitewish licked his cheek and rubbed against him with a small purr. Snowpaw looked up at her mentor with tears formed in her eyes,

"Nothing!"

She lied as she ran off towards the woods, her father decided to stay until she became a warrior but he told her that he would leave the moment she turned into a warrior.

Fawneyes grumbled as she noticed Thunderkit falling off and tumbling down from her back.

"Ouch!"

Thunderkit squealed when she hit the ground. Dawnmist giggled as she cleaned her youngest daughter's head. Thunderkit grumbled as she shook away from her mother,

"Don't clean me mama!"

Fawneyes rolled her eyes and cleaned her paw,

"Just like the other kit you had several moons ago…"

Dawnmist smiled,

"Yes, just like Darkpaw. I'm happy that she'll be just like her siblings…strong and smart."

Fawneyes snorted,

"Too bad your mate doesn't seem to appreciate it. Starclan is turning against us, first the clan leader, your mate and even the slave tom who was supposed to be either executed or used as an example when we plan an attack." Dawnmist froze as she heard the name…Ravenflight. How was he doing right now?

"Fawneyes, tell me another story when mama was young!"

The young kit rather ordered then ask the elder who cracked out laughing,

"And who are you trying to boss around? Just like your father, the bossy old tom he was…alright I'll tell you." Thunderkit squealed with glee and immediately sat down right in front of Fawneyes who began the story. Butterfly was still sleeping near the exit of the den so Fawneyes decided to tell the story in a quieter voice then she normally tells her stories.

"Now…where shall I start? Hm…"

Thunderkit piped in,

"Tell me when my mama was my age!"

Dawnmist smiled sweetly towards her daughter when she heard her speak.

"Ok. Many moons ago, before you were born of course, the clan was ruled by the mighty Scarstar. He was our old leader before he lost his last life, to save your father's life in a dangerous yet courageous battle. Scarstar barely lost to a single cat, but was killed by the cat named Icestar."

Dawnmist sigh, she remembered how depressed her husband had looked that day…he barely ate and never spoke for days after that. And he called himself a coward for letting his grandfather killed in battle. It was a battle over almost all of Frozenclan's territory, they were going to destroy the clan but when Scarstar fell to the ground emotionless, Stoneclan turned into the clan that was about to be destroyed.

"Anyway, to your mother's story! When she was in the nursery I could still remember her fighting and bickering with your father almost every day!"

Dawnmist giggled as she remembered her past. They were declared as enemies but soon they fell in love after a few days when they became warriors.

"How did you fell in love then mama?"

Thunderkit asked curiously. Dawnmist sigh before she answered,

"You're father and I were hunting before we bumped into a group of rogues. He saved me before one could have killed me. He killed all of them alone but was hurt badly…you're father was a strong cat Thunderkit. And I see him in you. Well, we both fought to kill the rogues, we did. We were both exhausted and fell on top of each other and that was when we fell even deeply in love."

Thunderkit gagged,

"Ew mommy! I don't like it!"

Fawneyes chuckled and gently smacked Thunderkit behind the head,

"You'll understand love when you become older."

The black queen smiled weakly and got up as she slowly walked out from the den,

"I need fresh air,"

she told them before she left. Thunderkit saw her mother slowly walking out from the nursery and felt guilty, "Was it something I said Fawneyes?"

The kit asked the wise elder who was frowning.

"No, she's just not feeling well lately…"

Thunderkit's eyes widen,

"Then she should see Ashheart!"

"No young one, she is feeling bad in a different reason, one that can almost never be healed. Unfortunately she is going through a tough time."

"Echostar? That you?"

Breezestar asked as his eyes widen when he noticed the familiar she cat padding into her camp that was guided by two of his warriors that were on patrol.

"Breezestar, we noticed that Echostar was…"

The warrior who was explaining was cut off by the grey she cat,

"I can speak for myself."

She turned to face the white leader who was still shocked to see Echostar in his territory for the first time in his life!

"Both of you,"

Breezestar nodded to his two warriors,

"Leave us, I will speak with Echostar personally."

Echostar was emotionless as the two cats stepped away from her. She gently followed Breezestar, now a leader who was once her true love and soul mate. The leader's den was a big hollow tree that had a few holes that allowed some light to enter the hollow. The two leaders were quiet for several minutes. Echostar rolled her eyes as she noticed her old mate staring at her,

"You know you've seen me before Breezestar. I came here to see if you're ok, that's all."

Breezestar sigh,

"I'm doing fine…even though I have one life left."

The moment he said that Echostar leaved a thin scar mark on his face, making him flinch.

"You mouse brain! You should have never done that!"

She spat at him with disgust and hatred. But deep down, she was tearing to pieces, she never wanted Breezestar to get in between that fight that happened at the gathering.

"The thing you did was not necessary at all!"

She added as she felt her eyes start to tear up. Breezestar took a deep breath and sigh,

"it was a necessary thing to do Echostar! I couldn't just stand there and see my…my mate getting ripped into pieces before my eyes!"

"Breezestar…"

The tom ignored Echostar and continued,

"We lost our daughter, the least thing I could do now and try protecting you!"

"We're leaders now Breeze! We can't do anything else! We must follow the warrior code…we can't be together and we've been through this several times in our life!"

"I don't like the warrior code! Echostar, both of our old leaders are dead! We are the leaders…we can join clans together!"

"But there cannot be two leaders in a clan Breezestar, you know that."

"I…I love you Echoheart, I love you!"

The two full grown cats stopped talking and stood there as they both felt their warrior hood pass by. They missed those times when they would sneak out and meet each other but now that they were leaders they were never allowed to do so. Echoheart…Echostar chuckled quietly to herself when she remembered her warrior name that she received from Scarstar. It used to be the best thing that ever happened in her life. And the most amazing thing about that name was that Breezestar used to call her by that name every night before they went off to a small hill on the other side of the forest and hunted. One time they spend the night there and soon Echostar was known to be carrying and expecting kits. But things have changed now, now they were full grown leaders that serve only for their clan.

"Don't call me by that name ever again,"

Echostar told Breezestar as she tried to hold back her tears. Soon enough Echostar leaned and rested her head on top of her old mate's chest.

"I'll do anything Breezestar for you to stop doing does stupid things!"

Breezestar whispered,

"Then call me by my warrior name one last time before you leave."

Echostar slowly looked up to the Swiftclan leader,

"I'll be going then…Breezetail."

Since then, the two leaders never meet or talked.

(Ok, I won't be typing until I get at least 10 reviews. It's not much really, I only need four more reviews then I'll continue the story and know that you guys want to continue to know what happens later on.)


	17. Chapter 17

(PLEASE READ: Thank you all for your reviews! And as I promised I'll continue with the story with a long chapter! But just a few things that I would like all of you to know, you can now ask me questions about the story or ask questions TO a certain character in the story. Later on in future chapters I'll answer and type it on the beginning of the chapter. Feel free to type in any chapter! I love to answer questions. It could be something silly as, 'Darkpaw, do you like to eat chocolate chip cookies?' ANYTHING! But as long as it's appropriate. But anyway, thank you all who reviewed my story, I really appreciate it! Now everyone, on to the story!)

Chapter 17

Darkpaw's claws sunk to the cold dirt that was under her feet as she slithered across the ground. She made sure her body was close to the ground and now her behind was finally not sticking out high in the air like she used to do three moons ago. Her ears twitched as she heard wings beat high in the air and then she caught a sound of moving twigs! She quickly turned around and dodged a slash from her opponent and quickly head butted him with her head hard to the ground.

"Urgh!"

Bladepaw grunted as he pushed Darkpaw out from his stomach,

"I hate it when you do that you know?"

The two old apprentices circled each other, their friends and mentors watching them with watchful eyes. Bladepaw quickly leaped and pinned Darkpaw to the ground who quickly kicked him off within a second.

"Nice one!"

Mintpaw commented as Darkpaw smiled by her friend's good comment.

"Get your back in there Bladepaw!"

Dark hollered to urge his friend to do better. Bladepaw leaped again but this time Darkpaw leaped also, this time her claws sunk into his shoulders and forcefully slammed him face first to the ground. Bladepaw yowled in pain,

"Ouch!"

He hissed as he threw a paw full of dirt at Darkpaw's eyes which made her hiss and squint her eyes. He took his chance and quickly pinned her to the ground once more and bite and began to pull hard on her ears, making Darkpaw scream in pain. Darkpaw didn't wanted to look weak, both her father and sister were watching her! She quickly got out from his grip and shoved her paw under his chin, pushed her body weight towards him which made his head slab hard on the oak tree that was behind him. Bladepaw wiggled to get free but Darkpaw's strong paws and shoulders pinned him to the oak tree. Her right paw that was on top of his throat threatened to unsheathe, and by then end his life.

"Should I end him here?"

She asked jokingly.

"That was good Darkpaw, you are now an excellent fighter!"

Barkstalker complimented on his apprentice. Darkpaw got off from Bladepaw who gasped for air,

"Holly Starclan! I thought I would win this time but you once again beaten me! You're one of the toughest she cats I've meet!"

Mintpaw twitched her tail and spoke in a dangerous tone,

"Oh really?"

Bladepaw gulped and spoke uneasily,

"You're stronger Mintpaw!"

Darkpaw smiled as she noticed Greypaw, Snowpaw and Rainmist pad by her as they all started to head back to their camp. Dark, Mintpaw and Bladepaw padded off towards a different part of the forest to go hunting as the three other apprentices decided to walk back to camp.

"That was excellent! I bet this is the first time Stoneclan had a strong she cat who is an expert in fighting now!" Darkpaw's smile widen, ever since she trained harder and times passed her skills grew! She glanced at Greypaw, "But I'll never be as good as him,"

Greypaw purred,

"You did great."

Snowpaw nodded in agreement,

"You still might stink at hunting but you're better than me at fighting."

Rainmist was about to add something too until a voice called for her,

"Rainmist! Want to go hunting with us?"

Rainmist turned to notice Foxstrike at a distance who was companied by Bolttail.

"Sure!"

Rainmist answered with a smile and turned to her sister before leaving,

"Behave while I'm out hunting."

The three cats padded closer towards the camp.

"I just can't wait! One more moon until we're finally warriors! I hope my name's something beautiful!"

"Yeah. And I wonder if one of us will be the future deputy."

Darkpaw nodded in agreement. Snowpaw glared at Greypaw,

"I'm so jealous, you're going to be a warrior today!"

The older tom chuckled as he winked at Snowpaw with a smirk,

"I am older and much more experienced then the two of you aren't I?"

The three apprentices laughed in joy as they padded across the cold surface of the forest. Leaf bare was just starting and it would be harder to get more prey!

"You know, I wonder what Thunderpaw's doing right now with Honeypaw."

Darkpaw wondered as their paws soon meet small patches of snow. Butterfly had finally given birth to two kits a few moons ago, now the two cats were known as Honeypaw and Rockpaw.

"Brr! I hope they're not making any trouble. The snow is cold!"

Snowpaw whispered to herself. Greypaw rolled his eyes,

"It's snow, what would you expect? It's supposed to be cold!"

Snowpaw grunted and looked away from Greypaw. Everything was going well but Darkpaw hoped that her father was impressed with her fighting skills earlier.

"It's so sad that Bladepaw always loses to Darkpaw and he's the one who's so determined to become the leader of Stoneclan!"

Mintpaw teased the tom as the three padded towards the stream. They were a bit lazy to go out hunting and decided to take a bit of a rest before they actually do some work.

"I tried you know! Plus, you lose from me when we do fighting training so you shouldn't be saying anything mouse brain!"

Mintpaw stick out her tongue to the slightly older tom who rolled his eyes as he grunted to his friend,

"Back me up Dark! You're not helping me at all with this!"

Dark smirked at his friend,

"You two always fight and whenever I try it doesn't affect anything. So I think I'll just leave you two."

Dark disappeared into the woods and Bladepaw shouted behind his friend,

"Thanks a lot you so called best friend!"

Whitefire sigh as he put the thrush he was luckily able to catch that winter into the storage pile. He noticed that the clan had been working twice as hard for leaf bare because of lack of territory and the fact that the clan's size has increased in the past few moons. Fortunately Starclan was on their side this time so the storage pile was quite full. He noticed that Echostar was barely giving them any orders but only announced the three kits were finally apprentices but had to learn in the different part of the forest. In about a moon he knew that Darkpaw would finally become a warrior. He smiled as he imagined his sister jumping around with excitement but now he doubt that she would act such ways because she has grown much more mature then she used to be.

"Hey youngster! Is there any prey you got there for me?!"

Whitefire chuckled as he got out a medium sized rabbit and tossed it to the cranky elder. The prey slapped the elder right on the face which earned Whitefire a dirty look from Fawneyes.

"You're lucky that I wasn't a young warrior right now!"

She screeched at him. Fawneyes huffed and puffed but padded away grumpily to the elder's den with the rabbit in her jaws.

"Up to more trouble again I see."

Whitefire noticed his mother Dawnmist smiling with a raised eyebrow.

"She wanted food, so I gave her some food."

The white tom told his mother defensively. Dawnmist rolled her eyes and giggled,

"Don't try getting into trouble. Thunderpaw is making enough trouble already."

As if the sentence was a sign Whitefire heard screaming and shouts behind the elder's den.

"Thunderpaw you mouse brain! Get back here!"

Whitefire smiled, his family and clan were doing great unlike the time when there was so much going on when he was just made a warrior. He missed the old times but he also liked the times where he was finally relaxing.

"I better check what Thunderpaw's up to before she breaks anything! I'll see you later Whitefire!"

Dawnmist told her son before she ran off to catch up to her trouble making daughter. Before the senior warrior was about to turn around and walk off, he quickly grabbed a squirrel and padded towards an open space in the camp. All rocks and stones of all shapes and sizes decorated the space and he noticed the familiar looking rattling tail slithering around the rocks. Whitefire rolled his eyes as he set down his prey before him and heard mumbling and cursing from Snake. The two have been friends and talked a lot ever since Greypaw was announced as a new member to the clan. They would tell each other that it was a bit suspicious and risky but soon the conversation turned into different things that normal buddies would talk about.

"What are you doing now Snake?"

Whitefire asked with a sarcastic tone to his voice. Snake quickly looked up from a small hole he was digging on the ground and accidently bumped his head on a rock.

"Ouch! Urgh! I lost one of my teeth in these piles of pebbles. I tripped and I tasted blood and felt a missing tooth! Starclan is not on our side at all!"

"Actually they are. Have you seen the food pile?! It's stocked up and this is perfect and amazing news to all of us! We have higher chances on surviving for leaf bare now!"

Snake ignored the warrior's opinions and thoughts and went on searching for his lost tooth among the stones and pebbles. Whitefire sigh, he guessed that he would not be having a pleasant conversation with Snake as he expected to. He sat down with his white tail around his paws to keep them warm and started to eat his prey.

"I love the snow even though most of Stoneclan cats complain about it,"

Whitewish whispered to herself as she stared at the small little snowflakes that were floating gently towards the ground.

"I must agree it is beautiful,"

Spottedfang agreed as he sat next to the one eared she cat.

"But it's not as beautiful as you."

Whitewish felt her cheeks burn like small fire flies. The two warriors leaned against each other as they continued to admire the snowflakes that were falling from Starclan. It was obvious that the beautiful snow was from Starclan. Anything as beautiful as this had to come from Starclan! Just before the two couple could touch their nose to each other they heard a screech not too far away that made the both of them flinch.

"Thunderpaw! I won't let you get away with this!"

Whitewish gently got up from the cold ground and padded towards the direction,

"I better go check out what is going on right now."

Spottedfang was about to argue but he watched the she cat pad away anyway. He grumbled to himself but was soon welcomed by Greypaw and his small group of friends.

"Hi Spottedfang, how are you doing?"

Snowpaw asked her mentor with a pink face that was obvious to let all the cats know that she had a crush for the senior warrior.

"Oh hi Snowpaw, Greypaw and Darkpaw. I'm doing ok."

Darkpaw smiled and dipped her head to the senior warrior,

"Hello Spottedfang."

"So, what do you three apprentices want?"

The senior warrior asked with a gentle smile.

"They want more territory Echostar."

Barkstalker tried his best to tell his clan leader in a calm voice. Echostar was silent as her deputy explained what the clan members wished for in the leader's den.

"We have enough prey for leaf bare but we need more territory."

Echostar slashed her tail for silence but did not turn around to face her deputy,

"We've been through this several times Barkstalker. What do you want me to do?"

"I would like it if we fight for territory."

"There is no reason for a war."

Barkstalker held back his tongue as he narrowed his eyes. They did had enough prey but how long will his clan last? Even though he was to leave the moment he left his daughter when she becomes a warrior he wanted to leave his clan with enough territory.

"I noticed Swiftclan is letting their guards down a bit. They don't really seem to mark their territory at all." Echostar's eyes widen. What was her deputy planning to tell her?

"Get to the point Barkstalker,"

She ordered him with a serious tone. Barkstalker hesitated,

"This is a great opportunity Echostar. Even though this is against the warrior code…this is for our clan's good for survival. I was thinking we should…should destroy Swiftclan. Breezestar seems to be on his last life, Ashheart was told by Starclan last night. This is our chance to make Stoneclan the strongest clan once again Echostar!"

Echostar hissed as she turned around to face her deputy with narrow angered eyes,

"I cannot do that!"

Barkstalker glared back at his leader but urged her further,

"Echostar, you only have two lives left. You should do something good for the clan before you go to Starclan. It's the least thing you could do. Also you can test the apprentice's loyalty with this massacre."

"We kill all of the cats then…"

Echostar muttered to herself but she felt pain deep in her heart. Breezestar was the leader! She just couldn't kill him! But their leaders now…they stand loyal for their clans only! Echostar smirked,

"A test to see the apprentice's loyalty eh?"

Barkstalker said nothing but nodded to his leader with stern eyes.

"I like the idea…more territory and more loyalty. Even though Fawneyes might disagree to the idea. I am the leader of this clan anyway…"

Before any of the two cats would speak Rainmist entered the den with a smile,

"Hello Echostar,"

She greeted her leader with a smile and dropped a rabbit in front of the leader. Barkstalker glared at the interruption,

"You should have waited outside Rainmist, we were having a…"

Echostar interrupted,

"Hello Rainmist. What do you need?"

Rainmist felt Barkstalker giving her cold glares but she spoke,

"I was wondering if you needed anything. You seem to have not eaten that much now a days, you should eat something for more energy Echostar."

The grey leader meowed back,

"Thank you for your concern, I appreciate it."

Rainmist was about to leave but Echostar stopped her,

"Rainmist?"

"Yes Echostar?"

Rainmist turned to face her leader with respect.

"You are one of my favorite warriors and because you are I want you to come with me for a small little test with the apprentices and…"

Rainmist was looking quite confused.

"The whole entire clan besides the elders, kits and queens."

Echostar finished her sentence with a small little evil grin that Rainmist didn't really like.

"Mind if I ask you Echostar, but what kind of test is this? What is so important that requires all our warriors?"

"That my friend, is a secret to keep between the clan. I will announce after I give Greypaw his warrior name. I have decided that I will stand up and get the clan more territory."

Rainmist smiled,

"That's wonderful Echostar!"

"Yes. But it will be dangerous and the apprentices and warriors will show me their loyalty to me. We will be invading Swiftclan…we will kill any cat we see in the clan."

Rainmist's blue eyes widen in disbelief,

"E…Echostar? You can't be serious…that is forbidden!"

"I am the leader here Rainmist. I thought you were a loyal cat to me…seems like I was wrong."

Rainmist gulped as Echostar narrowed her eyes with anger.

"No Echostar! Of course I'm loyal to you! I…"

Rainmist sigh before she continued,

"I'll follow your orders and destroy the clan."

Echostar's eyes soften with a smile engraved on her face,

"Good, that's what I expected from my most trusted warrior."

Dark leaped into the air and before the vole could get away from the skilled hunter, Dark tasted flesh and blood between his jaws. The forest was silent as he felt the prey between his claws and jaws were not moving. He smiled as he loosened his grip and began to clean his lips. The taste of fresh blood was inviting and tempting to the warrior.

"Lucky! You already got prey!"

Bladepaw shouted with envy as he got to his friend with dirt all over his face as he tried to hunt a mole also. Dark smiled,

"I was only lucky."

"If you call that luck then you must always be lucky. I didn't catch anything for the past few hours!"

"It's leaf bare, there' not much prey that's all."

"Pfft, I wish I was better at you in hunting. I feel pathetic, you're great at hunting and Darkpaw is good at fighting!"

Dark rolled his eyes,

"Mintpaw's a better hunter then me you know."

"Same thing, I'm the weakest out of all the apprentices besides Thunderpaw, Rockpaw and Honeypaw. And their only junior apprentices!"

"Don't be all negative, it's not like you."

Dark muttered to himself as he picked up the vole and pad towards the same spot where he normally buried his prey. He dug the hard ground with his numb paws and sigh as he noticed that this was the only prey that he could find.

"I think he killed almost all the animals in the territory."

Bladepaw flattened his ears,

"Echostar should better come up with something."

The two toms sighed as they felt their stomach grumble. Dark suddenly heard a rustle not too far however. Bladepaw noticed the strange sound too but he stood still. Dark crouched down and bared his teeth, whatever this was it was not a small prey. Before any of the toms could leap and attack a ginger tom leaped out from the bushes and pinned Dark hard to the ground. Bladepaw and Dark both shouted and yowled in surprise and shock as Bolttail lashed his tail back and forth with an amused smile on his face.

"What a bunch of cowards…"

Bolttail chuckled to himself as Dark and Bladepaw glared at him. Dark hissed,

"Get off from me you flea bag!"

Bolttail glared back at the younger looking tom,

"Make me."

The younger tom was immediately annoyed and tried to kick off the older warrior but failed.

"You're too weak, rogue."

Bolttail told him with a bored tone in his voice. Bladepaw growled at the senior warrior,

"Get off from him Bolttail, you should be hunting."

"Hmph, as if you caught anything in particular."

Bladepaw fell silent. The ginger tom smirked at Bladepaw's reaction and roughly got off from Dark. Dark grunted as he felt a bit of pain on his stomach from where the older tom was stepping hard on.

"Where's Rainmist and Foxstrike? I thought you three were out hunting."

Bolttail rolled his eyes,

"Rainmist caught a rabbit and decided to give it to Echostar. Foxstrike is still hunting, but is in a different part of the forest because we bickered. And me, well, I just got bored and decided to give the junior apprentice's a bit of a scare."

Bladepaw growled,

"We're not junior apprentices! We'll soon become warriors just like you but much more stronger!"

"In your dreams kit. Rogues now a day seem to have amazing dreams that of course would never happen. I just want to let you two know that you two should stay away from Rainmist and her family."

Dark grunted,

"We don't even talk to her you mouse brain. We're not even interested in her."

"Really?"

Bolttail whispered into Dark's ear,

"I noticed that you were looking at her little brat sister every five seconds. I know Rainmist's my friend and she does not want a rogue to be related to her."

Dark clenched his teeth and grinded it as Bolttail stepped back with a smirk. Bladepaw had no idea what the ginger tom had told his best friend that made him frustrated and shouted,

"Just get away from us!"

In a threatening tone. Bolttail rolled his eyes and padded off towards the different part of the forest,

"As you wish my rogue friends. Just remember my warning you mouse brains."

The two toms glared as the ginger tom faded into the bushes. Bladepaw spat on the cold ground,

"Just who does he think he is?! I want to kill that fox hearted bastard!"

Dark was still standing down on his ground as he noticed that even Bolttail had noticed him glooking at Darkpaw. Bladepaw noticed his friend's strange quiet actions and asked,

"What did he tell you anyway? You seem a bit shocked and embarrassed about it Dark."

The tom shook his head,

"It's nothing."

The dark grey tom looked up at the sky, it was finally turning a bit of an orange color.

"I think we better get back to the camp before we miss the clan meeting. I heard Greypaw's going to be a warrior now,"

Bladepaw reminded his friend. Dark rolled his eyes,

"I barely even talk to that mouse brain. And I don't even like him."

Bladepaw raised an eyebrow,

"Why don't you like him? He seems pretty ok to me."

"He's just a mouse brain!"

"Huh?"

Dark shook his head,

"You wouldn't understand."

Of course nobody would. Greypaw…the slave cat was always next to Darkpaw which made the warrior feel a pang of jealousy. He just made it look too easy to be next to the she cat.

"Well, if you're going to stay here and daydream then I'll get to the camp first."

Bladepaw told his friend as he padded off towards Stoneclan's camp. Dark sigh and padded after him.

Ravenflight flicked his tail as he lay lazily on top of the ground to gather up the warmth the sun was shining down to the ground. Even though it was leaf bare the sun still gave off its warmth. The black handsome tom yawned with narrow hatred eyes as he looked down at his clan. Never in his life had he seen his clan doing well like this…especially when the leader was Echostar. He then noticed his youngest daughter Thunderpaw padding towards him with a small mouse with a smile on her lips. He glared at her with hatred, Dawnmist was such a failure, she once again only gave birth to a she cat! Thunderpaw put down the prey in front of her father,

"Here you go daddy! I thought you might get hungry after that training with Rainmist and Darkpaw!"

Her father muttered in annoyance,

"The training was over several hours ago you mouse brain."

"Well…you still haven't eaten anything yet."

"That's because I don't feel like eating anything. Have you ever thought of that?"

Thunderpaw was silent but her smile was still on her face,

"Well…how was training?"

"Boring. My foolish apprentice still can't fight properly…he fights like a kitty pet. Rainmist treats her apprentice as if he was her own kit which disgusts me. Darkpaw…she still can't hunt like a proper warrior. And now I have you, a mouse brained daughter that's trying to annoy me while I'm trying to relax."

Thunderpaw was slightly hurt from her father's comment and she felt her smile slowly slip away from her. "Father,"

Ravenflight grumbled as he turned around to face the cat who called his name. Before him stood Whitefire with a stern look. He grumbled as he pushed Thunderpaw away from him with one paw,

"Go off and do something useful for once. And don't come back to annoy me again."

Thunderpaw said nothing as she grabbed the mouse and ran off as fast as her legs could take her.

"What do you want my son?"

Ravenflight finally got back to his feet and sat down, his slick tail covering his paws. Whitefire was still standing with his serious yellow eyes glowing from the sunlight,

"Father, you should spend more time with mother."

"Why should I? That hag didn't even give birth to a properly strong tom! Look at yourself, you think you're so strong but your nothing but a…"

"For once in your life, will you just love the cats you have around you that try to get your attention?!"

Whitefire shouted at his father which made Ravenflight's eyes narrow. The black warrior also got on his feet and slapped his son's face with his right paw,

"Show respect you little brat!"

Whitefire didn't look up at his father and muttered something under his breath. Ravenflight rolled his eyes, "You know who you're talking to right? You fool, just like your sisters…mouse brained, weak and pathetic." Whitefire hissed,

"Mother disserved better then you."

Ravenflight flicked his tail,

"You mean I deserved better."

Whitefire looked up at his father,

"I sometimes wonder why mother ever had feelings for you. You never seem to like or respect anything or anyone around you! Why are you like this? You didn't showed up when I received my apprentice name! I bet you won't even notice when I have my own kits!"

Whitefire shouted at his father and stomped away with anger boiling in his soul. Ravenflight rolled his eyes as he lied back down on the rock and continued to relax in the sunlight. He just wished everyone around him were all…dead.

The apprentices were crowded around Greypaw who was just about to become a warrior. The apprentice den was noisy on how all the she cat apprentices were admiring Greypaw that he was to be the first one to be a warrior out of all of them.

"It's unfair! I wanted to be a warrior first!"

Rockpaw complained as Honeypaw and Thunderpaw laughed and giggled.

"Congratulations Greypaw,"

Bladepaw smiled,

"Hope you can handle on staying up all night after you received your name."

Greypaw smiled back,

"Don't worry, I'm used to it."

It was only a matter of seconds before Echostar was to call for the clan meeting. The apprentices continued to congratulate the tom when finally they all heard Echostar call,

"Cats that are old enough to catch their prey, gather around the high rocks for a clan meeting!"

Snowpaw whispered,

"It's time."

The crowded cats murmured for this is the first time in their clan that they made a cat from a different clan receive his warrior name as a Stoneclan cat. It was amazing yet it still bothered a few cats in the clan. Echostar was sitting on top of the high rocks with her head high in the air and looked down to her clan. Several pair of eyes stared back at her.

"As you all know it is time for Greypaw to receive his warrior name! Greypaw, you may step up!"

Greypaw stepped forward from the group of cats and made his way towards the clan leader.

"Greypaw, even though you were born from a different clan, will you accept your place as a Stoneclan warrior and serve the clan with your life?"

The black and grey tom was silent for a moment which made all the cats around him suspicious and nervous. However he soon answered,

"Yes I will."

"Good. Then calling up to my warrior ancestors from this day on Greypaw will be known as…"

Echostar did a dramatic pause as Greypaw looked up at her with determined eyes to get his warrior name. The cats around him were whispering on what his name would be.

"Greytalon! And as our warrior tradition he will be staying up till dawn."

Greytalon…Greytalon looked around his clan as he noticed everyone cheered and starting to chant his name. Never in his life had he felt welcome…they were all chanting his name! Greytalon looked to his right and he noticed Darkpaw smiling at him with pride in which he returned with a sweet smile. Rainmist stood up from the crowd and looked the proudest of all, her apprentice was no longer an apprentice but a warrior.

"I am proud of my apprentice, he had many problems to learn how to hunt and fight in Stoneclan ways, but he has proven himself that he is just as good as any Stoneclan warrior!"

The crowd continued to cheer and chant him by his warrior name but Echostar soon interrupted the chant with the slash of her tail, meaning all of them to be quiet. The crowd did died out as Echostar cleared her throat as she began,

"There is other news besides this apprentice now receiving his warrior name. I have found a new way to get more territory, and before any of you can ask any questions just know that you cannot question my plan." Rainmist held back her breath, she knew that the warriors in her clan would not really like the idea of this idea even though it was a way on getting more territory to all of them.

"I know that the leader of Swiftclan has only one life. His guards are down so this is the perfect moment to destroy and take over his clan…this is an opportunity to regain our title as the strongest clan…before we lost that disgusted battle!"

The cats of the clan were starting to yowl in disagreement to the idea of killing and destroying another clan but Echostar made them think twice,

"Think of it, all of you. What have those other clans done for us?! They did nothing and stood back and saw us die out! And we are dying at this moment! This is our time to show them how powerful and sly we are for we are Stoneclan cats! What would Scarstar have said? He has died to destroy Frozenclan but we have failed!" Echostar's words made Ravenflight's ears twitch in frustration. The grey leader continued,

"But now that we can get more territory, we will flourish and become stronger with more prey! We all have not eaten well, don't you remember last leaf bare? Well, leaf bare is coming! It's starting and this is now or never! What will you all choose? Will you choose to rot and die? Or will you choose to survive by sacrificing the other clan for our own clan's good?"

The clan was silent until Ravenflight stood up with a smirk,

"I say we kill them now!"

Blackheart who was not that far away sneered and stood up also,

"I agree! The faster we do this, the more prey we get!"

Soon one by one the cats stood up in agreement. Rainmist did nothing but feel her ears flatten. Bladepaw also agreed and shouted out in agreement but Mintpaw stepped on his feet to let him know that he shouldn't be happy about this. Greytalon's eyes were wide and he couldn't felt but feel guilty for ever joining this clan. Dark noticed this chance to prove all of the clan that he was a strong cat so he shouted and yowled in excitement. Darkpaw stood still as she felt quite nervous about this idea. Echostar smiled on how all of the clan cats reacted and finally spoke,

"We will attack them tomorrow in the morning when they least expect us! We will kill them! Kill all of them! Kill the apprentices and queens also! Make the elders feel in pain! Kidnap the kits and we shall raise them as our own!"

Rainmist couldn't help but close her eyes tight to try not to imagine all the dead bodies that will be on their new territory…it was going to be bloody.

(Hm…wonder what is going to happen in the next chapter. To continue the story however I would like at least four more reviews for the next chapter! I would really appreciate it if you give me reviews that would help on my story or any questions you have in mind!)


	18. Chapter 18

(Thank you all for your reviews! Now I will get to the questions!)

Jazz: Hello everyone, this is Jazzthekat! And now we have a special guest, ECHOSTAR!

Echostar: (Enters in and nobody cheers)

Jazz: Uh…everyone welcome Echostar!

(Silence)

Jazz: Er…very well then. This question is from herpdederp, 'echostar why are you soo mad?'

Echostar: Mad? What do you mean by mad?!

Jazz: Er…why are you crazy?

Echostar: I am just doing what I should do for the best of my clan! That is all!

Jazz: But killing other innocent warriors for your clan? Seriously?

Echostar: (Hisses and glares) Are you trying to have a fight with me?!

Jazz: No! I would NEVER want to have a fight with you! (Turns to camera) Well everyone, that's all. You got your answer. And I guess Echostar's not THAT cold hearted…I think.

Echostar: You THINK?!

Jazz: I…I mean you are NOT a cold hearted cat.

Echostar: Hmph, just what I wanted to hear. Stupid twolegs…

Chapter 18

Darkpaw wanted this all to be over as quick as possible. She looked around her as the grass grew taller as she crawled further into the Swiftclan territory. She noticed a few of her clan mates crouch down and crawl cautiously towards the camp. She smelled for any scent and was amazed that they didn't mark their territory yet! But they would soon come out and mark their territory. Snowpaw, Spottedfang, Whitewish, Bladepaw and Snake were in charge with the border patrolling cats from Swiftclan. They will do anything to kill all of them members of Swiftclan.

"Darkpaw,"

Darkpaw heard Snowpaw whisper her name who was not too far away from her.

"What?"

She whispered back to her close friend.

"Good luck at the camp,"

Snowpaw whispered to Darkpaw who smiled in return. Echostar was in the lead, she knew more about the territory for she had came here once for a visit a few moons ago and remembered everything perfectly. Echostar quickly stopped and all the cats knew that a group of patrol cats were coming their way. Darkpaw remembered Echostar's commands clearly, when a patrol came the five cats will eliminate all of them and while they do, the rest of them continue to follow Echostar's lead but run and attack the camp. Three Swiftclan cats ran towards their way and before any of the Swiftclan cats could notice the five cats in charge leaped and started to fight with them. There were yowls of pain and clashing of claws but Darkpaw and the other members of Stoneclan started to run after Echostar. Darkpaw heard a yowl from the fighting cats,

"Dovesong! Go warn Breezestar and the others now!"

"No! I can't leave you!"

"Now! Before these bastards destroy our clan!"

Darkpaw noticed a white she cat from Swiftclan started to run very fast towards their direction but the she cat was caught by Snake and with one bite and a painful yowl the she cat was dead on the ground.

"Dovesong!"

Darkpaw clenched her teeth as she heard the depressed voice that shouted towards his dead clan mate.

Rainmist and the rest of the warriors leaped and charged towards the Swiftclan camp. She noticed her other clan mates around her were grinning and sneering in excitement for they loved the feeling on finally fighting again. The Swiftclan cats however were screaming and shouting in terror as they noticed that they were being attacked! Rainmist leaped on top of a flame coloured tom and wrestled against him, he was strong and had strong legs but she started to dig her claws deeply into his chest. He claws her shoulders but she ignored the pain and continued to claw his chest. Around her she heard screaming and shouting from the other cats. She heard clashing claws, ripping of flesh and blood being splattered on the snow and dry grass. The flame coloured tom didn't wanted to be finished off easily however and twisted his body, making him the one who was pinning Rainmist to the ground,

"What are you doing in my clan?! Leave us alone!"

He shouted and screamed at her as he started to claw her face. Rainmist felt guilty, this invasion reminded her of the invasion they had when Frozenclan invaded. It was terrible, but what was done in the past was done. She had to kill this tom! She ignored his questions and clawed his stomach hard with her legs and soon enough the tom yowled in pain. He fell to the ground and with her chance Rainmist ended him by ripping his throat out. She heard a quick snap and gasp of air from the tom but he quickly turned emotionless when she finished him. Rainmist turned to her left and noticed Mintpaw was about to be finished off by another Swiftclan apprentice! The white she cat did not allowed that to happen and slashed the sides of the Swiftclan apprentice, making her scream and jump off from Mintpaw. Mintpaw and Rainmist used to chance wisely as Mintpaw ran to the Swiftclan apprentice's left side while Rainmist went to her right. The two she cats slashed at the apprentice with their deadly claws as the apprentice fell to the icy cold ground with blood oozing out from her. She would die of blood loss but would be saved if they allowed the medicine cats to save her…the medicine cats! Rainmist left Mintpaw to finish off the apprentice as she charged towards the medicine cats den. She heard Mintpaw ripping the throat from the apprentice and a shrill cry from the apprentice. She ignored the gory screams and sounds however and entered the medicine den without fear. Medicine cats were not really known to fight so it would be a bit easier. The medicine den contained a light brown tom who was helping a orange she cat who was expecting kits! The brown tom turned to face Rainmist and hissed,

"Get away! I need to help her give birth to her kits!"

Rainmist hissed as she clawed his face, sending him fly and crash onto the side of the medicine den and fell weakly to the ground. The queen was on the floor and was screaming in pain…her kits were coming out now! She stepped forward towards the queen but the medicine cat got before her and hissed again,

"Get away from her!"

Rainmist growled and with a quick bite she ended the medicine cat's life.

"Runningtail!"

The queen whimpered with fright. Rainmist glared at the queen and stepped forward once again as the queen was looking up at her with desperate eyes,

"Please! Don't kill me! I have kits! They're not born yet! At least don't harm the kits! I'm begging you!" Rainmist stopped and remembered that Echostar didn't order to kill kits but to bring them and raise them…she took a deep breath,

"Ok, I will help you give birth to them."

"But…you're…!"

Rainmist ignored the queen's comment and shoved a stick in the queen's mouth and started to rub her stomach. The queen yowled and clenched the stick between her jaws tightly. Rainmist remembered how Lillyflower helped her mother give birth to Darkpaw…she knew a bit of how to help them give birth to kits. The queen's grip on the stick was too hard however and the stick broke in half and Rainmist flinched as she had to hear the queen's screams. She continued to push the stomach and soon she started to see a kit! The white warrior continued to process the same technique over and over again and soon three kits popped onto the floor. She noticed that two of them…were not moving a muscle. She glanced at the queen who was gasping for air. Rainmist turned to face the only kit who was squealing and wiggling around the floor. She gently picked up the orange tabby and told the queen,

"it's a tom."

She put the kit gently down on the ground and the queen looked at her kit with a small tired smile. Rainmist held back a tear as she raised her paw to finish off the queen and with only one slash the queen remained at that spot, dead. The orange tabby continued to wiggle around the floor as Rainmist gently started to clean the kit with her tail around the small creature.

Darkpaw stood panting for air as she finished off her third enemy. Her pelt was drenched in other cat's blood and several scars were around her arms. She forced herself to continue to fight though as Mintpaw was right next to her. Mintpaw whispered,

"I think we're almost done killing all of them off!"

"Is Breezestar dead?

" Mintpaw looked down at her friend,

"I'm not sure…"

"What about the medicine cat?! We better kill the medicine cat before he tries to heal any of them!"

Mintpaw took a deep breath,

"I'll go and finish them off, there's not much enemies alive here so you should rest a bit. I'll be back as soon as possible."

"Wait! But…!"

Mintpaw ran off and left Darkpaw alone on the cold ground. Darkpaw noticed several bodies around her, luckily none of her clan mates were dead yet…because they outnumbered the Swiftclan warriors! Before she could take another deep breath a grey she cat with black paws pinned her against a pine tree and hissed at her. It was Frozenleaf, the deputy of Swiftclan!

"You mouse brained fool! I'll send you to the Dark forest!"

She shouted at Darkpaw who struggled to get out from her grip. The deputy's strength was strong, and began to slowly sink her long claws into the apprentice's neck, making Darkpaw gasp for air. Darkpaw felt small amount of blood beginning to roll from her neck, if she didn't get away from the deputy she would surely get killed! Her mouth started to gurgle and she started to lose sight as she saw the deputy sneering in victory,

"You should have never messed with my clan!"

Darkpaw hissed as she finally got back to her conscious and kicked the deputy to let her go but it didn't seem to have affected the deputy as her claws started to sink deeper into the she cat's neck. Darkpaw felt pain as her flesh felt the stinging claw tips and soon she knew she was going to end here. But just before she thought she would be dead and off to Starclan the deputy was roughly pushed aside, being pinned to the ground as if she was a helpless kit. Darkpaw fell to the ground and struggled to see who her savior was and to her surprise Dark was growling and hissing down at the deputy with narrow eyes.

"Get off of me you fox hearted bastard!"

Frozenleaf screamed but Dark held her down, even though he had a bit of trouble pinning the strong deputy down.

"Dark…!"

Darkpaw couldn't help but meow from shock. Out of all the cats she never expected the rogue tom would save her. Dark heard her voice and turned to look at her, for once Darkpaw noticed a small spark in his dark blue eyes. Dark smiled sheepishly but soon yowled as the deputy under him took a chance to kick him off from this chance. Darkpaw hissed as she ran towards the deputy, her neck ripping which made her flinch but leaped into the air, ready to strike the deputy. Frozenleaf smirked as she grabbed Darkpaw from the neck and slammed her hard to the ground. Darkpaw gasped as blood exploded from her mouth, getting onto Frozenleaf's face. Darkpaw began to dug her back paws into the deputy's stomach and began to dig into the flesh, making the she cat above her shriek in pain as blood showered on top of her. Frozenleaf let go of Darkpaw but quickly turned around just in time to catch Dark who was about to slash at her back. The deputy was swift as her clan was known and quickly dodged the attack and got a grip of Dark's shoulder and slammed to the ground instead. Darkpaw was about to attack the deputy until the deputy hissed under her voice,

"Don't come close or I'll kill him!"

Dark hissed as he whined,

"Let me go you…!"

"Shut up rogue!"

Frozenleaf ordered the young tom as her claws sink into his flesh, making him yowl. Darkpaw narrowed her eyes and muttered,

"Fine…"

She slowly began to pad away, making Dark gasp as the she cat deputy smirk. The deputy however, was tricked. Darkpaw quickly turned around as she noticed the deputy letting down her guard and pinned her to the ground. Easy. Darkpaw smirked over the deputy,

"You should have never let your guards down like that…"

The deputy however was smirking up back at her,

"Nice try, sweetheart, but you my dear should have been paying more attention."

Darkpaw's eyes widen but before she could move a white strong tom pushed her off, making her crash to the hard cold ground.

"Frozenleaf! You ok?!"

The sleek she cat purred,

"I'm doing fine Breezestar, let's hurry and finish these two pesky apprentices now!"

Darkpaw whimpered as she looked up helplessly up from the ground as she noticed Breezestar walking slowly towards Dark who was getting into a fighting position but fear was still written in his eyes.

"Seems like he's about to kill your friend…don't worry, I'll make this quick so you could see him…"

Her attention got back to Frozenleaf who held one strong paw on her chest and her other paw held high, ready to strike and end her life. Darkpaw clenched her tongue, she couldn't end like this. Dark had just risked his life to save her and she would not make his bravery turn to waist. She took one deep breath as she noticed the claws closing towards her throat. She screamed in anger,

"NO!"

The deputy was ignoring her shout but soon the younger she cat kicked her off from her, and without hesitation the deputy of Swiftclan was held between the apprentice's jaws. Breezestar must have noticed and turned around quickly,

"Frozenleaf!"

Darkpaw didn't wait however and with a quick bite, blood was filled in her mouth and some of the deputy's blood rolled down her mouth. The young apprentice spat out the deputy, who fell lifeless on the lifeless ground, dead.

"You bastard! I'll kill you for this!"

Breezestar screamed as he kicked Dark back to the ground and without warning charged towards the she cat who had just killed his deputy. He saw fear ad shock in her dark green eyes and for once in his life he wanted to kill a cat! But he was quickly stopped as the familiar grey she cat pushed him back to the ground and hissed. Breezestar looked up from the ground and to his surprise he saw his mate!

"Echostar!"

Echostar however was emotionless and nodded her head once to let him know that she wanted to fight him. Breezestar's eyes widen,

"What?! No!"

Echostar hissed as she clawed his cheek

. "Echostar! Why are you doing this?!"

The once beautiful grey she cat ignored his question as she slashed her claws at him. The two began to fight, claws slashing each other's fur and their jaws ripping each other's flesh. Breezestar's memories flashed before him, how many times he had meet Echostar, his true love but now his enemy. They meet near the borders of his territory, she was so beautiful that he couldn't even attack her but start to talk to her calmly. He never knew that since that day he would feel more for her but soon her father knew and attack him one night and Breezestar had no choice but to kill him. Echostar was heartbroken but she still loved him…soon enough they slept together and his beloved Echostar was expecting kits. He could still remember her screaming at him,

"We can't be together! We can't do this anymore! Get away from me, now!"

He couldn't help but cry with tears of misery. Breezestar was soon pushed back at the ground, his body weak and he felt a few of his ribs broken. He knew he was about to die and his true love seemed to have noticed that too because she placed her paw over his throat, getting ready to end his life.

"Why are you doing this…?"

He asked quietly as blood drooled from his mouth.

"For territory. We noticed your guards were down…"

"You…you're killing…all of my…my clan members?!"

"Yes…and you'll be joining them now!"

Echostar screeched as her claws ripped his throat. Breezestar gasped as his eyesight turned black.

"Frozenclan! We have won the battle! From this day, Swiftclan does not exist! From this day, this is our territory! We shall have a feast tonight!"

Echostar yowled in triumph as her warriors yowled with glee and pride. For a long time, their clan has finally fought and won! Barkstalker smiled as he was next to his leader,

"We have done well, not any of our warriors were killed…a few were only seriously injured, but that is all."

"Good. I want us to feast and feel happy. This is a long time…it feels so good to finally fight and feel blood on your claws…"

Barkstalker stayed silent as his leader murmured to herself. Stoneclan was getting their name back, the clan of strength and fight. The grey she cat smiled as she felt the gentle breeze blowing through her fur, amazingly, she didn't miss or felt sorry for the loss of her mate. Of course, she even killed him anyway.

"What are you going to do with him?"

Foxstrike gently asked Rainmist who was still cuddling the Swiftclan kit.

"He's the only survivor,"

She sigh as she cleaned the kit's face,

"I'll be his mother."

Foxstrike's eyes widen,

"Rainmist…you insane?! We'll have to make Butterfly and Dawnmist take care of him. We are warriors and…!"

"I killed his mother and several of his clan mates. Now I think it's my responsibility to raise him by Stoneclan ways."

Foxstrike gasped but his mouth shut. He asked a question quietly,

"Who will be the father…? He would soon want to know who his father is…"

Rainmist turned to look at the ginger tom with worried eyes,

"I don't know, plus, what tom would want to pretend to be his father? It'll only make that tom have more things to do…more things to worry and be responsible of."

Foxstrike hesitated,

"What if…what is that tom didn't mind? What if that tom actually wanted to be a father and…"

Rainmist felt her cheeks burn.

"And…he wanted you to be his mate?"

Rainmist gasped quietly as Foxstrike leaned down to touch his nose to hers. Rainmist accepted and felt the cold and gentle touch of his nose.

"What should we name him?"

A question escaped her lips.

"Swiftkit…Swiftkit the only survivor of the legendary clan, Swiftclan."

Rainmist smiled gently as she felt the tom's body close to hers. They sat next together in silence as their adopted kit was gently sleeping between them. But what about Amurtail? She still had feelings for him…but he was in a different clan.

"Hey…"

Dark meowed as he padded into the medicine den. Ashheart was busily wrapping moss around Darkpaw's neck who was groaning in misery.

"Oh shush and stop acting like a kit!"

Ashheart told Darkpaw like as if she was a queen herself,

"you're lucky that Frozenleaf didn't kill you at first sight!"

"She almost did,"

Darkpaw muttered under her breath. Darkpaw took a deep breath before he padded closer, getting the two she cat's attention.

"Oh hi Dark, what do you need?"

Ashheart greeted the tom with a smile, even though she was busily rolling more moss around Darkpaw's neck. Ashheart looked from Dark to Darkpaw with a cheesy smile as she noticed that Dark was being a bit too quiet. "Hi Darkpaw,"

Dark meowed as he looked up to meet the she cat's gaze. Darkpaw smiled,

"Hi…hey, thanks for helping me…well…to be exact thanks for…"

Darkpaw froze as she looked down at her paws with cold eyes. Dark tilted his head,

"What?"

"You…you saved me."

Darkpaw muttered under her breath with a bit of anger and annoyance. Ashheart's ears flatten as she noticed how dramatic Darkpaw had changed. For what seemed like hours Darkpaw hissed,

"You mouse brain!"

Dark flinched as he heard her calling him by an insult.

"You saved me! How…how could you?! Don't you know that I've been training to fight by myself?!"

The she cat hissed at the tom who meowed back with a calming voice,

"I saved you at the right time anyway. Is that a problem?!"

"It is! I've been training so I wouldn't have help from you…from anyone! Now you made me look like a total…weakling!"

Dark growled,

"Look, this isn't about your reputation here. I saved your life, you should be happy about it! Plus, not to be mean but you were almost no match with the deputy. You, would be gone right now if it was not for me to save your lazy tail out there!"

Darkpaw grumbled, the fur on her back rising immediately,

"I don't need any help from a rogue! And do you think you're that strong?! I saved your life before that deputy killed you too!"

Ashheart grumbled as she got in between the two cats,

"The two of you mouse brains, quit it. The battle is over, Darkpaw you actually should be thankful. Dark, you shouldn't have said anymore than that."

Dark rolled his eyes,

"I barely even said anything! She's the one who's calling me insults!"

Ashheart muttered as she noticed the two were still the same…they still seemed as if they were just kits again.

(I hope you all enjoyed the story! I would like three reviews for this chapter! Over all thank you all who reviewed for my story, good day!)


	19. Chapter 19

(Thank you who all reviewed my story! I finished typing this story just now so…you might notice a few grammar mistakes and spellings mistakes, but oh well! But it really meant a lot to me that a few of you reviewed me, I was beginning to think my story was not worth typing. Anyway, here's the story!)

Chapter 19

Ravenflight flicked his tail has he sat on top of the frozen grass. He never really liked Swiftclan but to his amazement he was not very shocked that the clan died. Of course, Swiftclan was always known to be the weak link. It was amusing how his daughter accepted the only survivor of that pathetic clan. Sooner or later he would tell that little brat what had actually happened and kill him off. One thing for sure he didn't really like the tom named Foxstrike being the so called father of this kit, Foxstrike was not really that cat that Ravenflight wanted to be related with. Swiftclanners all just needed to die. They just took up more space in the forest…those good for nothing cats. He narrowed his eyes as he noticed flicker of pelts vanishing and reappearing at the new camp that they had made all that night. The camp was bigger and wider. And one thing for sure there were twice as much prey here then back in their original territory. Even though it was a bit hard to catch the animals here for they were quite fast. He noticed his youngest daughter, finally an apprentice running off with her friends. He rolled his eyes as he faced his disgraceful son…the only male in his family. Why was his son not as strong as his grandfather and himself? He cursed to himself and believed it was all his stupid mate's fault…Dawnmist. Her family was not really the best fighters…her mother was a blind cat. Another mouth to feed in a different way of speaking. His older daughter didn't impressed him, a hunter. Any she cat was a so called amazing hunter. He wanted a fighter and a strong one in his family. His oldest daughter only had a pretty face, his son a weak mouse brain that showed no respect, Darkpaw couldn't fight well and she was not a tom and lastly he had a fish brained daughter who believed he even cared for her. As if that would even happen. He grumbled as the cool night air washed his fur. He felt the same soft fur brush besides him however but he didn't even bothered to purr…for it was only Dawnmist. Dawnmist must have felt proud for three of their kits went to their first real battle and came back all alive but with several injuries. Ravenflight rolled his eyes as Dawnmist rested her head under his chin,

"Aren't you going to join the feast with us?"

The black tom's one amber eye glowed in annoyance,

"Why would I join a couple of mouse brains for a party?"

Dawnmist was silent and Ravenflight loved the silence but it was soon broken from his stubborn wife.

"You know, I thought you'd be more, oh well, proud that your children went for the attack?"

"It was not their first. Frozenclan attacked our cats few moons ago, there is nothing to be proud about but the fact we have earned more land. I think Echostar is finally coming to her senses of fighting again."

"Ravenflight?"

The senior warrior stood silent and didn't bothered to look down at his mate.

"Speak,"

He murmured in an ordering tone.

"About Swiftkit…"

"Don't grow too attached to him, I'll be killing him sooner or later."

"He's only a kit Raven, also he's now one of us. Just like you and…"

The black muscular tom hissed as his blue eye gave his wife a dreadful glare,

"I am nothing like those fools! That kit is nothing but just those rogues that joined our clan…not to mention the cat who is Icestar's son! We should have killed them when we had a chance…we still have a chance to kill them."

Dawnmist glared at her husband,

"All you say is to kill some cats! Raven, without Dark Darkpaw would have been dead right now. The rogues helped us with the hunting and…"

Ravenflight smirked as he shaked his head slowly with amusement,

"You have no idea Dawnmist…"

His cold gaze meet hers,

"You have no idea."

His tail flicked again,

"my apprentice can't even fight…of course…none of the cats in my clan can actually fight could they? Not in the Stoneclan traditional ways…no matter how hard I try to train Dark he always seems to want to hunt. I start to wonder,"

He chuckled,

"Am I training a she cat?"

Dawnmist rolled her eyes,

"You're not. Dark is a tom, we're all sure of it. Not all toms prefer fighting you know…for example Darkclaw. She doesn't seem to enjoy hunting but she's quite go…"

"She still has much more to learn. She quite disappointed me on how she was being beaten up from the deputy of Swiftclan. I was even thinking of just watching her dying but not until my apprentice helped her."

Dawnmist spat,

"You are sick Ravenflight!"

She turned away, stomping away from her cruel husband. But just before she left she smacked him in the face with the tip of her tail, earning herself several curse words her husband was screaming and yowling at her. Her typical romantic husband.

"Hey, how's my she cat doing?" Greytalon purred as he rested his head on top of Darkpaw's head who purred back in response,

"I'm doing ok."

"Sorry I wasn't there in time to save you. I was killing off other warriors, you forgive me?"

"Of course I do. You were only doing as your orders. You wouldn't have gotten to me on time."

"I'm glad you're still alive…"

Greytalon whispered as his tail curled around Darkpaw's tail. The cats around them didn't notice and pass by as they were close to each other. It was obvious that the two cats were in love and it was obvious that Darkpaw was going to have kits with him a few moons after she received her warrior name.

"Greytalon! Hunting patrol with Foxstrike and Blackheart!"

Barkstalker yowled orders at the identical looking tom. Greytalon rolled his eyes and sigh,

"I'll try to be back soon as possible."

"Aww…you're leaving me?"

Greytalon rolled his eyes and nipped her ears playfully,

"I promise I'll be right back. Don't get into any trouble while I'm off hunting."

"Hmph, as if I'd…!"

Greytalon's black noses meet Darkpaws' and the two were in silence. Greytalon smirked as he gently pulled himself away from Darkpaw,

"What? Did I do something wrong?"

Darkpaw didn't answer has her black cheeks slightly glowed of red. The young warrior stood up and turned to face his crush before he ran off to follow the other warriors to their hunting grounds,

"Take care while I'm gone. I'll tell you everything that happened at the new hunting grounds!"

Darkpaw dumbfounded, only nodded her head with a wide stupid smile carved in her face. She watched him run off and soon disappear into the pile of bushes. She heard a gasp and she quickly turned around to see the cat, "Snowpaw? Mintpaw? What are you doing here?"

The two she cats were still shocked but Snowpaw was giggling.

"Seems like Greytalon and you are thinking on having kits together aren't you? He's quite the tom isn't he?"

Darkpaw blushed but spoke,

"He's only a friend Snowpaw. We're not having kits."

Mintpaw giggled,

"That's what they all say! You two are so cute together! I wonder how your kits would look like…you both look identical so I bet your kits would look just like you guys!"

Darkpaw rolled her eyes,

"Say what you want but that was just…nothing. So, what's going on?"

"Well,"

Mintpaw begin,

"Bladepaw asked me if I wanted to go hunting with him later on. Should I go?"

Snowpaw nodded,

"I think you should."

Darkpaw chuckled and agreed,

"Aw! You should. I think he likes you…it's obvious on how the way he looks at you."

Mintpaw's white and black freckled face turned a light color of pink and quietly meowed,

"Then I guess I'll tell him then."

Snowpaw smirked as she tail lashed towards Bladepaw who was eating a mouse near the fresh kill pile,

"Well, you better tell him before some other she cat gets him."

"Who would?"

"I would,"

Snowpaw joked as she watched the senior apprentice pad towards the tom. Darkpaw and Snowpaw giggled as they noticed the two cats looking at each other. Their faces turned a bright pink and soon they saw the two cats pad off towards the woods. Snowpaw giggled,

"I knew those two liked each other."

"Yeah…ever since they joined the clan they always stick up together…come to think about it I wonder who you like Snowpaw. Who do you like?"

"Isn't it obvious? It's Spottedfang!"

"Snowpaw, sorry to say but he's…he's several moons older then you."

"So? Who cares? I don't care, because he's one handsome looking tom."

Darkpaw shake her head slowly with a sad smile on her face.

"Hey! Have you two seen Bladepaw?"

Dark meowed curiously as he noticed the two she cats were smiling and giggling from a distance.

"He's gone off hunting with Bladepaw,"

Snowpaw answered with a cheesy grin.

"Alone?"

Dark's eyebrow raised slowly. The white she cat nodded,

"Yup, those two cats are off hunting together in these romantic woods. Too bad Darkpaw here couldn't go hunting with Greytalon."

Snowpaw teased her best friend as Darkpaw smiled shyly. The black tom before them lashed his tail with narrow eyes,

"That mouse brained idiot…he promised me he would come hunting with me. Instead he ran off with Mintpaw…typical of him to forget promises."

He turned to face Darkpaw,

"You do seem to like Greytalon. Didn't he asked you out to hunt?"

Darkpaw was about to answer but Snowpaw answered instead,

"Nope. But they did touched their nose together! I squealed when I saw them together! Uh…and…sorry to ask but why did you ask that question? You're a tom."

Dark rolled his eyes and muttered,

"Whatever."

"Ohh…is someone getting jealous?"

Dark slightly blushed but looked away, not daring to look up to face Darkpaw. The two black and grey tabby cats were looking away from each other. Snowpaw however noticed Spottedfang passing by and ran after him, leaving her best friend behind,

"Oh! Spottedfang is passing by! I better talk to him! I'll see you two later!"

Dark finally spoke when he made sure Snowpaw was far away,

"So…you do fancy him?"

"Of…of course I do."

"But he's in a different clan!"

"What if he was? I don't care, I still love him!"

"I don't think that…!"

"Dark! Just stop trying to make me turn against Greypaw! I love him and it'll stay that way!"

Darkpaw snapped at the tom and dashed away, leaving poor Dark alone in the spot, sitting on the ground with sad eyes. He did have feelings for the she cat but he just couldn't say it out loud. He grumbled, he felt pathetic. He noticed his mentor passing by and saw a scowl on his face which made him flinch,

"What do you think you were doing with my daughter Dark?!"

"I…I was only…!"

"Urgh! It's bad enough that my daughter might be mating with a cat from a different clan! But with a loner…? Worse! Don't you dare think about it because I am trying my best to make my daughters have pure clan cats!"

He sigh, everyone didn't seem to like the idea of a loner falling in love with a clan cat. If only he had a chance. Did Darkpaw know about his feelings?

Ashheart flinched as she shot out from her nest in the medicine den. She was shivering and beads of sweat were decorated around her pelt. She had the same nightmare again, it happened since a moon ago…it was obviously a prophecy or the glimpse of the future. She peeked to her right and noticed Lillyflower looking down at her with sad nervous eyes,

"Was it the same dream?"

"Y…Yes Lillyflower."

"Echostar is going to die sooner than I thought…"

Ashheart closed her eyes tight and the images flashed before her. Echostar was being crushed against the cold thunder path and a monster. Her blood was squirting everywhere and she was gasping for air. The next image was her last life…and long claws were being dug deep into her throat. It was terrible.

"Do you think it's a prophecy Lillyflower?"

"It must be…this must be your first time ever receiving one…this is very urgent."

Ashheart flattened her ears, even though she never liked Echostar this was quiet cruel. And both Lillyflower and herself knew that Barkstalker was not going to be leader for Lillyflower had dreamed of another prophecy just before the war. They both promised never to tell anyone for Barkstalker might turn against the clan. Stoneclan had several prophecies of a deputies that were never meant to be deputies. The moment the medicine cats tell the leader and everyone in the clan knew the deputy would go angry and turn against their clan.

"Who will be the new clan leader then?"

Lillyflower froze but only sighed,

"I do not know young one."

"We better find a new leader before it's too late…there will be several cats that would want to be leader."


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

((VERY IMPORTANT NEWS!) Hey guys. If you guys are reading this I am announcing that I MIGHT be quitting on typing the unlucky clan. Why you may ask? I noticed I didn't get much reviews so I'm guessing that you didn't enjoy the story. I'm not angry or anything but this was my very first fanfiction story so I guess I understand. If you guys want me to continue this story, please review. It will let me know that you want to hear what happens to the clan. If I do QUIT on typing this story you are free to PM me on what happens, I will PM you back. If you don't care, then you are free to just go read other stories. It's been a fun time typing this story though and I really enjoyed it. Even though I didn't get that much reviews I'm happy that a few of you guys out there at least enjoyed my story. Once again, and I must be annoying you all by saying this…it means a lot to me for all you guys who reviewed and enjoyed my story. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter.)

Echostar glared down before her, several of her warriors were all glancing up at her with feared eyes. She liked it, now they would not question why she never really fought…after what happened in the battle. Echostar smirked, not feeling a bit of pain in her heart, she had lost her daughter before and losing her love was not that hard, she already ran out of tears. Her clan was much more important than her family now. She ruined her life at the very start and now she will not let anything else make it harder for her. She had two lives left…she just wish she would lose her lives in a wise way.

"Barkstalker, assign patrols in the areas. If there are any survivors…kill them."

"Yes Echostar."

Barkstalker told his leader with a quick nod and disappeared from the leader's den. Everything was going perfectly. She wouldn't have to make the others go and try to find more territory. If Frozenclan tried to attack she would make her warriors fight like rogues. She didn't care about the warrior code anymore, all that mattered was her clan's reputation and power. The grey leader padded out from her den and sat outside. The sun was barely shining any light around her and she felt that rain was about to pour. She hated rain, it rained when she lost her daughter many moons ago…she never knew where her body was. Her mouse brained husband buried her somewhere in Swiftclan territory though. She was now close to her daughter's body and that made her feel a bit comfortable for once. She noticed by the corner of her eyes that Greytalon was glancing at her. She curled her lips and hissed at the spying tom,

"What you want Greytalon? Be useful and hunt!"

Greytalon only glared but padded away, lashing his tail back and forth. Echostar still didn't trust him, he was still the son of Icestar. The mighty Frozenclan…one day though she will lead her clan to destroy Frozenclan…one member by one. Then she would aim for Waveclan. She smirked. She just couldn't wait to get that much territory. She padded towards the medicine den, she had heard strange sounds and voices last night near the medicine den. She would want to get an answer by the two medicine cats.

"Lillyflower, Ashheart, I would like an explanation."

Lillyflower who was cleaning the herbs glanced up and saw her leader with a tilted head,

"Echostar! What explanation do you need?"

"Last night, I heard strange noises in the medicine den. Have you and Ashheart been staying up all night? Where is Ashheart anyway?"

"She's outside to have some time with the apprentice. I noticed she's been working too hard and I thought it would be nice for her to take a break."

"A break?! Lillyflower, medicine cats were born to work and serve the clan! Not play around with apprentices like a bunch of kitty pets!"

"She is working and serving your clan Echostar. She has just received a prophecy…or a peek of the future."

"Really?"

Echostar asked with wide eyes. She smirked and curled her tails around her arms as she sat,

"Tell me. What will happen to Stoneclan?"

"It's not really about Stoneclan…it's about your future Echostar. You have to choose a new deputy…Barkstalker will not become the next leader. You will also lose your second life…very soon. It is smart for you to keep a warrior that you might like to make into a deputy in mind."

Echostar lashed her tail and rolled her eyes

"Oh? Now Starclan is punishing me after I've done a favor to my clan? I'm starting to not believe in Starclan anymore. I'm starting to not trust anyone! Barkstalker is a strong warrior, he SHOULD be the next leader."

"There must be someone else out there that must be just as good or even better than him. Think Echostar, Barkstalker is strong and smart but he is not very nice to many cats but his family and you."

"A kind leader is pathetic. I dare Starclan to choose the next deputy for me. There's only pathetic cats in this clan that doesn't show any respect to me now."

Darkpaw felt a cold splash of water at her face. She laughed out loud as she squinted her eyes to see who attacked her with the water,

"Rainmist! Don't do that!"

Rainmist giggled as she splashed more water at her little sister. The two she cats and the few other young cats came near the Waveclan territory for time to relax. Darkpaw smiled and shouted to Whitefire,

"Whitefire! You should come and get in the water! It's cool and nice today!"

"Darkpaw, I am not a Waveclan cat if you have noticed. Also the fact that it's leaf fall for Starclan's sake! I say you better come out of there before you catch a cold."

Rainmist smirked at her younger grumpy brother,

"Oh please mister grumpy pants. Cheer up and try to join the fun! We haven't had this much fun in moons! I say you better join or you'll regret it."

"Over my dead body Rainmist. I'm a warrior and that means I will be staying very mature."

Ashheart who was dipping her paws in the shallow streams meowed at Whitefire,

"You can't always be that serious Whitefire. I agree with Rainmist, you should just relax and have fun for a bit."

"Even though we all just been in a battle a few weeks ago? Dream on Ashheart."

Darkpaw frowned. Her brother barely ever spent time with her and now he was only blowing the chance. Her taught were interrupted when she noticed the familiar looking pair of dark green eyes were before her. She purred as Greytalon brushed gently past her. She felt blood rushing up to her head and heard Snowpaw giggle behind her.

"Greytalon, you're here!"

"Of course I'm here. Where else would I be?"

Darkpaw noticed behind Greytalon Rainmist was smiling widely and winked at her while her older brother was only rolling his eyes and beginning to clean his paws. Greytalon leaned closer to Darkpaw but they were both broken apart when Bladepaw, Mintpaw and Dark jumped into the stream, right in front of the two old apprentices. Greytalon smirked at the three rogues who were laughing at Darkpaw's reaction,

"Very mature you three. Why don't you three go back to your two legs?"

"Sorry to burst your taught but we're not kitty pets."

Announced Dark who was slightly glaring at him but had a playful grin. Mintpaw smiled at Ashheart who was watching from a distance,

"Hey Ashheart! Why don't you join us? We can play more tricks at these two love birds!"

"Sorry but I rather stay here. What will happen if I drown and one of you guys get injured by acting so stupid?"

Bladepaw growled at the medicine cat,

"You don't know the word fun apparently, don't you?!"

"My way of fun is to just relax in the sunlight my friend."

"That's even stupid then our way of fun!"

Mintpaw chuckled as she nudged her friend off to the different section of the stream, leaving once again Dark alone, frustrated.

"It always annoys me how they hang out with me and dump me a minute later like that. Now I'm bored to death."

The black tom murmured to himself as his ears flattened on top of his head with a scowl. Whitefire yawned,

"It's something called love. Bladepaw and Mintpaw obviously like each other. You'll know what I mean when you start to fancy a certain she cat in the clan, or if you still don't like clan cats random loners and weak rogues."

Rainmist splashed water at her brother's face who scowled and cursed,

"You know, you shouldn't be that mean all the time. Dark did save our sister's life anyway."

Darkpaw glared at her brother and sister with narrow eyes,

"I didn't need his help. I know what I was doing back there, I killed the deputy."

She pushed past Dark who was in front of her, she was getting sick of the fact that she was helped. Rainmist glared at Whitefire,

"White, go talk to her."

"Why me?"

"Because I said so! Now go before I rip your ears off!"

"Geez! Fine!"

He hissed back at her as he dashed after his sister. His younger sister was clawing at a bark of wood not too far from the stream with long deadly claws. The white senior warrior sigh,

"Why are you so angry? Your sister was only saying the truth that he did save you. She and I seen it with our own eyes."

"Why?"

She hissed and turned to face her brother,

"After all these moons…I failed to kill without any help?! I trained day and night to get a chance to prove to Echostar that I was not weak or worthless…to father! I feel pathetic, I'm training harder!"

She screeched as she begin to lash at the tree before her, leaving deep scars at the bark. Whitefire rolled his eyes as he stood before the tree,

"You're so childish. You could have told me that you wanted to train harder. I don't have an apprentice anyway, I can show you more moves and you can train with me."

"You…you mean it?"

"Yes. I'll do anything to make that noisy mouth of yours to be quiet."

Rainmist sigh as she noticed Amurtail was right in front of her. What would she tell him? He must have already noticed her clan had took over Swiftclan. Amurtail was not all that shocked but was smiling when he noticed her. She held her breath as she accepted her being next to the Waveclan warrior.

"I noticed your clan's been in Swiftclan's territory. I've been smelling blood…what were your clan doing?"

"We needed more territory…"

Rainmist frowned as she noticed Amurtail's eyes widening.

"You…you didn't do what I thought you did…right?"

"Unfortunately we did. There's no Swiftclan survivors now. We killed every single one of them…I decided that I would take in a new born kit and pretend that I'm his mother…Foxstrike will be pretending he's the father."

"Oh…so…you and this Foxstrike must be together now?"

"No! It's nothing like that!"

Rainmist shouted with a desperate voice as she put her paw on top of Amurtail's paw. She didn't want to lose the Waveclan warrior that she had grown too close to.

"Don't leave me Amurtail, I love you!"

Amurtail smiled sadly and stood up from the ground,

"I won't leave you…but the thing is…we couldn't be together since the start. I think sooner or later we would be separated."

"No! We can meet each other secretly like we used to!"

"Rainmist, Echostar seems to be very protective with her territory. I can't do much anymore. We can't do this anymore, no matter how much I love you I don't want to see you in trouble."

"I don't care what the punishment is, I just want to be with you!"

Rainmist yowled at the tom with sad eyes. Amurtail licked her nose and rubbed his face against his love. He knew he couldn't do anything now. He padded slowly back to his territory with a depressed Rainmist,

"I love you Rainmist. I will always love you no matter what happens. But for now we can't see each other."

"Gah!"

Darkpaw hissed as she crashed to the ground as Whitefire pinned her to the ground. She hissed in frustration,

"How in the world can you do that? You always get away from my attacks!"

"I use my brain. Get up and come at me like you're about to kill me."

"But that's against the warrior code!"

"It doesn't matter anymore. Echostar doesn't seem to like the warrior code, which means we could do whatever we want now. If you want to be stronger you must know how to kill your enemies without hesitating. Most clans…Swiftclan were one of the weakest clans because they were all soft hearted."

"Fine. But don't blame me when you lose a tail!"

"Haha! Good luck on that little sister!"

Darkpaw leaped at her brother, dodging an attack and clawed her brother's shoulder deeply. Whitefire clenched his teeth from yowling in pain and smirked as he tripped his sister to the ground. Just before he was about to pin the she cat down Darkpaw got behind him and leaped onto his back, sinking her claws into his grey and white pelt. Whitefire couldn't help but yowl in pain as he jumped around to get her off but his sister had a firm grip on his back. But soon the tom slammed his back hard on the ground, Darkpaw screamed in pain. Whitefire scrambled back up from the ground and smirked as Darkpaw slightly struggled to get up.

"Good. Not bad at all, you almost had me there. You ok?"

"I'm fine, let's try it again."

"Nah, why don't you try someone else? Hey, Rainmist! Do you want to have a match against Darkpaw?"

Rainmist who was with the other young cats glanced at Darkpaw and smiled,

"I'm sorry but I'm going to rest for a while."

Mintpaw was about to raise her paw but Bladepaw stepped onto her paw,

"I'll do it!"

"Hmph. You don't stand a chance. Darkpaw always kicked your butt in fighting."

"Hey! You're a weakling so you shouldn't be saying anything Mintpaw!"

"Excuse me?! What did you just call me?!"

"Now, now, the two of you don't fight again."

Rainmist stopped the fight between the two apprentices. Whitefire chuckled to himself but his eyes soon caught Dark who was hiding behind Mintpaw.

"Dark? What about you? You never fought Darkpaw before. You barely even did fighting trainings too. It'll be interesting to see how well you do against her."

Dark's ears flattened to his head and he glanced at Darkpaw who was glaring at him while her body had several claw marks and a small thin line of blood was rolling from her mouth. He frowned and glanced back at the white senior warrior,

"Do I have to? She seems a bit…"

"Weak?! Am I too weak for you Dark?!"

Darkpaw hissed at the slightly older tom who flinched when she yelled at him. He immediately shaked his head quickly in case of the she cat might attack him,

"No, it's not that. It just seems like you're a bit hurt. I think you should rest."

"What are you a medicine cat? Fight me."

Bladepaw glanced at his best friend who seemed a bit worried and shocked,

"She challenged you to battle training. I think you should before she calls you a mouse heart."

"Go on Dark, you've trained good enough. I think you might have a chance on beating her."

Mintpaw chinned in to encourage her friend. They all thought that the black tom didn't want to fight because he might lose but he was actually not wanting to fight because of another reason.

"Ok. But I'll go easy on you Darkpaw."

Darkpaw's eyes widen but narrowed immediately when the tom told her that he was going to go easy on her. He crouched down on a battle stance and before the tom could react, she swiped him and soon gave him a big scar across his left ear. Dark's eyes soon narrowed and he leaped at her, pinning her to the ground and begin to wrestle with her on the ground. They both bite, hissed, cussed, clawed and finally Darkpaw was able to push the tom away from her. Both of the cats had messy and bloody pelts and they were breathing heavily for air. Darkpaw was huffing and puffing, to her shock the tom before her was quite good at fighting. Darkpaw crouch down to strike the tom however who was still breathing for air,

"I'll get you for going easy on me! I'm not weak!"

Dark's eyes widen as he felt a tight grip getting around his throat, and to his pain and terror was slammed hard against a tree. He felt trickles of blood beginning to roll down his lips as he was released and felt himself falling to the ground.

"Dark!"

Mintpaw and Bladepaw both shouted in horror from what the she cat had done to their friend. Bladepaw cursed at the she cat,

"You mouse brain! What in the world are you thinking?!"

Darkpaw ignored him however and put her paw on top of Dark's throat, threatening to end his life. The she cat however didn't notice her long claws were actually chocking the poor tom.

"Surrender."

She told him simply with narrow eyes.

"I…I…surrender."

The tom croaked. Darkpaw smirked but was quickly pushed away from him and was slammed hard to the ground by her sister,

"Darkpaw! Mintpaw, Bladepaw, take him immediately to the medicine room, now!"

The two apprentices quickly rushed to the apprentice's side and helped him up and dashed towards the medicine den. Rainmist turned back to her sister with angry eyes,

"What are you thinking Darkpaw? You shouldn't be using a death blow at him! What are you trying to do? Kill him?! He was only training with you mouse brain!"

"He was going easy on me! Can't you see Rainmist? He's been thinking that I'm weaker than him! I wanted to prove that I was not weak!"

"You mouse brain, he was going easy on you because he was afraid to hurt you! I say you get back there and apologize!"

"Darkpaw! Rainmist? What happened to you? You're all hurt and messy!"

Darkpaw turned her gaze from her sister and her eyes meet Greytalon who was standing next to Whitefire with a robin between his jaws. Whitefire told the tom,

"My sister almost killed Dark while battle training. She needs to apologize to him immediately."

"But she was in battle training! Of course Dark would have been hurt!"

"You shouldn't be saying anything because you have not seen how she fight like!"

"It's Dark's fault that he's weaker than her."

Greytalon stated clearly and padded towards Darkpaw and cleaned her bloody cheeks,

"You ok Darkpaw? He seemed to have gone a bit hard on you."

"I'm fine. He's the one that's in the medicine den."

Rainmist hissed at her sister as she got in between the two cats,

"Darkpaw, now!"

Darkpaw didn't want to apologize to the tom. It was indeed his fault that he was weaker than her. She was personally surprised however that she had used the strange technique that almost seemed to kill him. Barkstalker would have been proud…if only he was there watching her fight Dark. She snapped out from her taught when she finally noticed the dark blue eyes that were looking back at her. Was she staring at the injured tom all this time? She glared at him bitterly and meowed,

"Sorry."

Dark flattened his ears as he uncomfortably shifted a bit around the moss that was around his neck and shoulders. He looked away from Darkpaw and muttered coldly,

"It's fine. It's totally not your fault that I almost got killed."

He meowed sarcastically to the she cat who only threatened to claw him again until he spoke again,

"I could have killed you there you know. I guess you're stronger then you look and I sure let my guards down. I guess I was such a soft hearted idiot to actually train easy with you. I never knew you were this bitter Darkpaw. I knew you never liked me when I first got to the clan but smirking while you threatened to claw my throat, you're heartless."

Darkpaw flinched when she heard those words. Heartless…those words reminded her so much of her father.

"It was your fault that you were weaker than me."

"Oh? Then it must be your father's fault that you have no heart and act like a fox hearted fool!"

That hit a nerve. Darkpaw wacked the injured tom across the cheek, sending him falling onto the nest. She pinned him to the ground and hissed,

"Never talk about my father! You're lucky that the others are gone…I might as well kill you when you're in the woods one dark, stormy night. I'm not afraid to kill you!"

Darkpaw was smirking while she was saying these words at the tom but she frowned when she noticed that Dark was staring back at her with annoyed and fearless eyes,

"You think I'm afraid of you Darkpaw?"

Darkpaw quietly took a step back as the tom took a step forward,

"Have you ever thought of some other emotions that cats have about you besides fear? You simply don't notice it. I'm not afraid of you Darkpaw…but…you never seem to notice that…I have other feelings for you then just plain hatred or fear."

"What do you mean by that?"

"You figure it out. You're a smart cat."

It took the she cat a while before she knew what the tom was talking about. She looked up at him with shocked eyes and meowed softly,

"I…I'm sorry."

Dark said nothing but padded to a fresh nest and crawled into a ball. Before he closed his eyes he muttered,

"Just get away from me."


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21: One against Two Clans

(I'm sorry if I sounded mean guys. I just really didn't know that some of you guys really liked my story. And I don't type to get reviews and I'm not blaming anyone about it. The thing is, reviews are the only way that I can tell if you guys want to read my story. I can't tell if you guys want to continue to read my story if there's no reviews at all…if you guys know another way, can you tell me? I'm sorry if I sound selfish or anything, but I just couldn't tell if you guys liked it or not. I'm not trying to be selfish and to be honest I just thought you guys quit reading it. I'm not trying to make you all give me reviews…I was just wondering if any of you guys out there are continuing to read it. I'm not trying to force anyone or anything to read my story. Anyway, I'll continue to type this story after I read those reviews that I got. I'm sorry if I annoyed anyone that I was going to quit the story, once again I didn't know if any of you guys liked it. Thank you guys so much who all supported me from the beginning, now I feel like I was blind all this time. :( But anyway, here's the new chapter! One thing for sure this story might take many chapters to finish! :) )

The sky was filled with bright stars that night. It made Darkpaw feel as if Starclan was watching down on her clan. She wished that they would forgive her clan for destroying Swiftclan. She glanced at Swiftkit who was running around with Thunderpaw. His orange pelt was glowing like fire while her younger sister was chasing after the very young tom. The young kit was now her adopted nephew…she just hoped the tom would understand and forgive her sister when he finds out that they had killed all his clan members. She looked away from the two kits and glanced at Echostar who was sitting on the high rocks with her head high, it was finally the day for the gathering.

"All of you. Tonight we shall be happy and proud that we have destroyed Swiftclan. We will not be sad or guilty for killing off the clan. If any of the other cats ask or insult, ignore them and raise your head high in the air. I will be choosing Rainmist, Whitefire, Bolttail, Snowpaw, Darkpaw, Bladepaw, Barkstalker, Ravenflight and last but not least Snake."

Darkpaw felt the familiar bushy fur brushing against her. She purred as she noticed it was Greytalon,

"Too bad you're not coming with me. I wish you were coming."

"Same. Be careful and don't get into trouble."

Darkpaw smiled as she begin to dash across the new territory with her other team members. Barkstalker had told her that they would be getting to the gathering quite soon because Swiftclan territory was very close to the gathering spot. She noticed that her deputy was running side by side with her,

"Hello Barkstalker. You seemed worried, what is it?"

Darkpaw asked as she noticed how her mentor was frowning. He looked back at her and meowed,

"You and Snowpaw will be becoming warriors very soon…less than a moon now."

"I'm very excited to get my warrior name! I promise you Barkstalker, I will be the strongest out of all the clans. Mark my words for it. You won't be disappointed!"

"I know I won't…it's just that…Darkpaw, I have a promise for you to keep."

"Oh…ok, sure. Tell me."

"Promise me you won't try to kill off cats just for the fun of it, the most powerful cats turn out to be vicious monsters that are sent to the Dark forest. And…tell Snowpaw that I love her."

Darkpaw narrowed her eyes when she noticed her mentor saying this. She didn't react or say something however for she knew her mentor didn't want her to argue with him.

"You keep those words to yourself. The moment I leave, tell her that."

Darkpaw only nodded in response to her mentor who quickly took in more speed and begin to run side by side with Echostar. She only hoped that her mentor knew what he was doing.

"Darkpaw, what did my father tell you? You seemed a bit frustrated."

The black she cat noticed Snowpaw who was running next to her, her blue eyes glowing.

"It's nothing much. He just told me not to harm Dark again like that."

"Oh. Well I have to admit you did hurt him quite bad…but have you noticed something strange about him?"

"Strange? Of course he's strange. He's a rouge."

"No…not that. Don't you notice he's been glancing and staring at you ever since…well, he got to the clan?"

"I did…I just noticed it this morning."

"Huh?"

"He admitted that he had feelings for me. I don't know how to react to him…he's a rogue for star clan's sake! I'm in love with Greytalon."

"Who's in Frozenclan and now is a prisoner to Stoneclan."

Snowpaw added to her friend's sentence which Darkclaw made an annoyed look. She giggled,

"What? It's true."

The gathering was busy and Darkpaw noticed the murmuring cats that surrounded her clan. Whenever she took a step forward the cats would take a step back to get away from her. Her ears flatten, were they afraid of them now? Icestar seemed to be the only one who was brave enough to shout at Echostar,

"I noticed Breezestar is late…he was always the first one to come to the gathering. My warriors have been smelling blood and Stoneclan scent in Swiftclan territory. What have you done to the clan and my son?!"

Echostar only smirked while the other cats were hissing at her to stay back. Snake and Ravenflight hissed back at the cats, making them whimper in fright. Echostar turned to face the two leaders that stared at her with shock eyes that were afraid to know the truth,

"Well…seems like your warriors are afraid of my clan now…I knew your clans had nothing but cowards."

"Answer my question, fox dung!"

Icestar yowled at Echostar who only looked back at him uninterested. Seastar was trying her best not to tremble in front of the insane Stoneclan leader.

"I killed them. Every. Single. One of them."

Echostar meowed calmly with an ugly grin. Seastar's bright green eyes widen and yowled,

"This is insane! You are a monster! You went against the warrior-!"

"Shut up. I am sick of the warrior code…while you mouse brains listen to the warrior code I have found something else. You NEVER listen to the warrior code...unless you want to see your clan starve!"

"Do your warriors agree with this?!"

Echostar smirked as she nodded towards Rainmist who stood her ground,

"My most trusted warrior Rainmist, you may speak your opinions about my techniques."

Rainmist got to the high rock to see all of the cats' faces. Not too far she noticed Amurtail who was frowning and shaking his head in disbelief. She frowned and wanted to tell him that she never liked the idea of killing off Swiftclan but she meowed,

"I thought it was a great idea. We received more food and shelter for our warriors. We are now strong and healthy from the food, if we had listen to the warrior code…we would have all been dead."

There were yowls of arguments that were shot at Rainmist but Echostar gently pushed her away and yowled at the top of her voice,

"You have heard my warrior! Our clan is stronger than any of you two! And now…any of your clans that try to destroy us…we'll destroy you first!"

Seastar hissed at Echostar,

"Easily said than done! You try harming any of our clans…you'll get what you deserved a long time ago! We'll destroy your clan for the rights of Swiftclan!"

Icestar chinned in with his claws flexing dangerously,

"I'll like to see your throat being ripped to pieces…and this time Breezestar won't be risking his lives to save your little pathetic life!"

"I would like to see you try,"

A cold voice meowed calmly at the tom. All the cats turned their attention to Ravenflight who only smirked,

"You think you're the only cat who knows how to fight? Well you got me to deal with to even think on destroying my clan. I might have hated my clan…but after getting power, I think I might as well enjoy killing off some of your warriors. I enjoyed killing off the weak Swiftclan cats and admit it Icestar, you are happy that Breezestar is dead. Don't act that you're a pair of good paws in front of your clan. Admit the truth."

Icestar hissed at the black tom who only smirked back at him, amused at the sight of the angry leader.

"You make me sick."

Icestar spat at the black tom.

"Meeting dismissed!"

Seastar hissed as the Waveclan cats and Frozenclan cats were beginning to disappear out of sight. Rainmist quickly got up to Amurtail who glanced at Rainmist with a sad gaze,

"It's over now…we can't be together no matter how much we want it to be."

"Amurtail…please! What I said earlier wasn't true…I never wanted to kill off Swiftclan! Please just don't-!"

"I'm not angry about that. It's my fault. I should have just treated you like a normal Stoneclan cat. Because of me we've grown attached like this. Forgive me Rainmist."

"I love you no matter what Amur! Just be with me!"

"We're in a war now!"

Rainmist couldn't help but let the tears that she was holding back pour down her cheeks. Amurtail also begin to cry but he didn't sniffle, he padded slowly after his clan members, his head down and depressed. He was gone, forever now.

"So you were in love with him."

Rainmist turned and noticed Bolttail frowning with narrow slits of amber eyes. He looked away quickly from Rainmist who opened her mouth to explain but he interrupted,

"No, don't talk. First it was Foxstrike…now it's a Waveclan bastard!"

"Bolttail, please! Don't tell this to anyone, I'm begging you!"

"Fine…meet me in the near the Frozenclan territory tomorrow night…we'll talk about this."

"Ok, but if I do you promise you'll never tell anyone about him?!"

"A promise is a promise."

"Thank you so much Bolttail!"


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

(New chapter! Thanks for the review Wolf Of Crescent Moon! Here's the new chapter, hope you guys all enjoy!)

"I can't believe Echostar's planning on destroying Waveclan now…you think it might be a good idea?"

Darkpaw asked her mother while they begin to collect fresh moss for Ashheart and Lillyflower. Dawnmist sigh as she shacked her head while grabbing a bundle of moss in her jaws,

"I'm not sure Darkpaw…we Stoneclan cats are not excellent swimmers. I just hope Echostar knows what she's doing this time. Swiftclan was easy to destroy but Waveclan…their famous for defense!"

"Well, we did destroy the clan that was known for their speed. It seems like they're not as fast as they thought they were. They had Rainmist and Ravenflight to deal with."

Dawnmist chuckled but frowned as she begin to put more moss in her mouth,

"Have you apologized to the tom that you hurt yesterday? I heard from Rainmist what happened."

"Oh…I did."

Darkpaw felt terrible from the inside. Someone who had feelings for her…she felt like a jerk for treating him that bad. Dawnmist noticed her daughter being quiet and immediately she grew worried,

"What is it? He's not dead!"

"I know but…I was so harsh on him and…I found he had feelings for me."

Dawnmist smiled sadly while she touched her daughter's shoulder with her tail while shaking her head,

"Toms…I've been through your situation before. But the tom died and I did stayed with Ravenflight, turned out to be a terrible mistake. It's funny how you attracted two handsome toms so easily so fast...time does fly."

"They're not handsome! Well, Greytalon is…!"

"Do you still love him?"

"What…what do you mean by that?"

"Darkpaw, do you still love Greytalon? Because if you don't you should tell him now."

"Mother I do love him! I even promised to have kits with him, of course I will be his mate!"

Dawnmist frowned while she padded towards the medicine den with the moss,

"Ok, it's your life. Just make sure you're really sure when the time comes."

Darkpaw frowned, it was now less than a moon until she received her warrior name. If she won this battle, receiving her warrior name would be a piece of cake! She chased after the black she cat to the medicine den. The medicine den was filled with the scent of the familiar herbs and Darkpaw meet eyes with Dark who was licking his wounds from yesterday. Ashheart was putting the herbs next to Dark who was about to use it,

"So I'll be fine by tomorrow right?"

"Yes. But just make sure it won't reopen and go easy on yourself."

Dark smiled and meowed in thanks to the med cat and brushed past Darkpaw who glanced at him for a few seconds. Ashheart chuckled as she looked at Darkpaw,

"I couldn't get enough sleep, he's been talking about you all night."

"I guess I did deserve being called bad things. I was being mean to him for so long anyway."

"He was saying good things about you silly. I couldn't help but burst out laughing when he told me how beautiful your eyes are…they were green like the peaceful forest and how sparkly they were."

Darkpaw blushed. Greytalon had commented on her eyes but he didn't get into detail about them. The she cat shaked her head, she was in love with Greytalon and it was going to stay that way. No tom was going to ruin her relationship with him.

"It's going to be another hard day tomorrow…we're going to attack Waveclan first thing in the morning."

Dawnmist muttered to herself as she looked down at her paws and shivered,

"I can't even swim!"

Ashheart flattened her ears as she tried to calm her down,

"Just stay by the shore. I just hope tomorrow the weather wouldn't be as bad and terrible as it was a few days ago."

"I will…I just worry about the other warriors. We're Stoneclan cats for moon's sake! We'll die the moment we get near the water!"

Darkpaw's tail tip touched her mother's shoulder and purred,

"Everything will go well. We have defeated Swiftclan and we can defeat Waveclan."

Dawnmist smiled as she turned to face her confident daughter,

"You make me feel better Darkpaw. You're as confident yet stubborn just like your father."

Darkpaw remembered that day, she clenched her teeth as she dug her claws deeper into the slippery mud to keep herself from falling to the rushing river. This was pathetic! Some of the warriors have already been washed from the river and they didn't even got close to the Waveclan cats! She yowled her battle cry as she lunged herself at a big tom with dark blue eyes, scratching his shoulders. Darkpaw dodged several attacks but got several critical hits around her stomach and to her disgust she noticed that her clan was losing already! Rain pounded on top of her bloody head but she kept on going, clawing, biting, screaming at any Waveclan cat she saw. Even though the camp was build high from the river the river was rising dangerously and she noticed that the Waveclan cats were just pushing the Stoneclan warriors to the river! Darkpaw's pupils widen when she saw her mother, weak and limp thrown to the river!

"Mother!"

She was about to rush and save her mother but a she cat stood in her way, Seastar! Seastar smirked as she flexed her claws,

"You mouse brained cats! You should have known to never mess with my clan!"

Darkpaw flinched as she got a sharp blow to the cheek and being thrown to the hard rock floor. She forced herself to get up, blood was rushing out from her mouth but she stood her ground. She kicked and clawed a Waveclan cat that was just about to attack her, earning her a bloody pelt. She got up, running towards the edge of the Waveclan camp and noticed her mother holding on tightly to a lose root. The root was thin and it was beginning to break! Darkpaw rushed towards her mother, slipping and falling but always forcing herself to make it to her mother. She didn't want to lose her mother like this! Before the she cat could reach her mother she shrieked in terror when she noticed the root breaking, her mother being engulfed by the strong waves!

"Mother! No! Swim mother swim!"

"Help! He-!"

"Mother!"

Darkpaw was just about to leap and get her but she was pinned down to the ground by her brother. Darkpaw hissed and shouted at her brother to let her go but she was put down. She felt tears streaming down her cheeks as she saw her mother disappearing into the rushing waters. She never saw her mother ever again…

Soon enough the entire remaining warriors were rounded up in a circle, surrounded by victorious Waveclan cats who were smirking and laughing at them. Each and every one of the Stoneclan cats were being kicked and treated bad and thrown back to the crowd of Stoneclan cats. Darkpaw watched in horror as she noticed Spottedfang chocking for air, his throat ripped! He fell to the ground and she looked away, hearing strange gurgling noises from the dying warrior. She couldn't help but begin to cry out loud, first she lost her mother and now the rest of her clan mates were slowly dying! She heard Snowpaw shouting at her mentor,

"Spottedfang! Please, wake up! You can't leave me! Please don't!"

Darkpaw noticed Seastar, with her head high and an evil smirk on her face looking down at the defeated Stoneclan warriors. Echostar was being held down next to her, her punishment was to see her warriors being beaten down and some killed.

"Aww…seems like the kit's afraid to die now!"

Darkpaw heard a Waveclan she cat teasing her as she bite and pulled on Darkpaw's ears, the she cat screamed in pain and tried to fight back but loosed. Darkpaw wished this would end and she didn't want to continue with the pain anymore! She felt guilty…did Swiftclan feel like this while they were being attacked? She watched in terror as Greytalon's pelt was being shredded by the Waveclan warriors! Darkpaw closed her eyes tightly when she noticed Dark was just about to earn a death blow from one of the warriors! She heard screams of pain and fright all around her!

"Owlpath!"

"Sorrelleaf!"

"Birdwing!"

Darkpaw heard more shouts and screams to the dying warriors. All the familiar happy faces she remembered…were being replaced by miserable dying faces. Before Darkpaw thought she was going to die from so much pain and torture Starfish yowled,

"Enough! I think these pathetic clan cats had just enough…I'm being easy on you because I am a kind leader. But what you have done to Swiftclan was just unforgivable! You all deserved to die, but I will let you all go for your kit's sake. You will not take your dead clan member's bodies. We will just throw them into the river and you will watch them flow away. Also, Swiftclan territory is now Waveclan's territory! We will give you two days to move back to your original territory."

Soon enough Darkpaw was thrown across the territory, bruised, scratched and bloody like the rest of her clan mates. All her clan mates mourn over the lost and Darkpaw couldn't believe it…her mother had just died!

Dark clenched his teeth as his eye was being healed. He had earned a death blow but it missed and hit his left eye instead. Lillyflower sigh as she finally put the last herd on his eye. Dark's ears flattened,

"So…what'll happen to my left eye?"

"I'm sorry but…you'll be blind on the left for the rest of your life."

Dark's right eye widen in shock…he had just lost his eye! He didn't know how to react but listen to the pounding rain and crying warriors. He hesitated before speaking,

"M…may I go back to the apprentice den?"

Lillyflower nodded her head, allowing the apprentice to walk out from the medicine den. They were also going to lose their territory! He noticed a big puddle before him, reflecting his face which were covered in scars and a big leaf covering his left eye. He noticed Bladepaw walking up to him with sad eyes,

"You ok? Wow…what did Lillyflower said about your eye?"

"She said…I was going to be blind on my left eye…forever."

Dark answered bitterly as he padded past by his best friend and walked into the apprentice den which was occupied by Darkpaw, Mintpaw and a crying Snowpaw. They were all bruised, Snowpaw was endlessly crying about her dead mentor while Snowpaw tried to calm her down while flinching whenever she brushed her ripped ears against her pelt. Darkpaw was only in the corner, there were tear marks on her face and her green eyes had a hint of red in them from crying earlier.

He could remember the cold stone ground he was thrown to back in Waveclan territory. A tom smirked at him who had glowing blue eyes and without showing mercy, pinned Dark by the head hard to the ground. He felt pain going into his head as the Waveclan cat pushed his skull harder against the stone floor and the pouring rain made him feel that he was getting punched at the same time. He felt blood rolling from his nostrils and mouth and his open scars that he had received from this very tom that was holding him down. He felt terrible. He growled in anger as he kicked off the Waveclan warrior, leaped and begin to bite into his flesh. His attacks were not enough against the older tom though, he was thrown back, and beaten back down to the ground.

"You really had the guts to mess with me…kit?"

"I'm not a kit!"

He spat back at the Waveclan warrior and leaped at him, but the tom clawed his shoulder and send him crashing back down to the ground. His blue eyes widen in terror as he noticed the tom leaping at him, his long deadly claws aiming for his throat! Everything went slowly and immediately Dark felt pain in his left eye and he could hear himself screaming in agony as he fell to the ground, shivering and had a wide eye looking down at the cold stone floor. Soon enough the same tom's hand crushed him skull to the ground, Dark didn't move or bothered to move though. He was laying there, this left bleeding eye facing the cold floor while his right eye noticing Darkpaw looking at him in shock and fear. Everything turned quiet…he noticed some of the cats around him fell to the ground, unmoving and bleeding. He noticed that the raindrops seem to fall slower. But overall he noticed Darkpaw…her beautiful emerald eyes staring at him. Even though he was on the floor and half dead, he could still notice how beautiful she was. His deep blue eyes started back into the emerald eyes and slowly he felt himself smiling and the world turning black.

"Cats that are old enough to catch their prey, come to the high rocks for a clan meeting!"

Dark sigh, he guessed that he would be receiving his warrior name after being defeated in battle. It was a sad way to get a warrior name but he was a bit happy that he was not going to be called Dark anymore! All the cats took a bit of time to get around the high rocks as Echostar too seemed a bit defeated. Dark sat down next to Bladepaw and smiled sadly up at his leader. It was finally the day and even though he lost an eye he hoped he would be able to get a good name.

"We have been defeated in battle…and lost many great warriors. But it is time for us to receive new warriors! Snowpaw, Mintpaw, Bladepaw, Darkpaw and Dark, stand up. Will you all serve Stoneclan for life?"

The tom and the other apprentices stood up with their heads turned to face their leader and nodded in agreement. Echostar smiled sadly but begin to announce their warrior names.

"Very well, from this day Snowpaw will be known as Snowleaf! Bladepaw will be known as Bladestorm, Mintpaw will be known as Mintwillow, Darkpaw will be known as Darkclaw and Dark will be known as…Darkstream."

Darkstream smiled in pride as he received his warrior name. Darkstream…it wasn't a bad name but it gave him the memory of watching his clan member's dead bodies flowing down the stream earlier in the battle.

Back in Waveclan Camp

Blacktail was breathing uneasily. The black she cat walked back and forth nervously in the warrior's den. The tom she had noticed earlier in the circle seemed so familiar. He had the familiar looking blue eyes and he had some of her black pelt! She remembered clearly that night…her kit being washed away from the stream and everyone thought he was dead…had Darkkit survived and was that young looking tom her son?! Streamdrop sat next to her old mother and meowed worriedly,

"Mother…you seemed a bit pale back when we were attacking the Stoneclan warriors. Is everything ok?"

"It's ok dear…I'm just daydreaming. It can't be…"

"Mother, what are you talking about?"

"I thought I've just seen Darkkit as a young tom back in the circle!"

"You must have been imagining things mother…Darkkit…he died remember?"

Blacktail sigh as she turned away from her daughter in defeat. Her son did indeed died but she couldn't find the body! There must be possibilities for that young tom to be her son! She padded towards Seastar immediately.

"Get him! Don't let him escape!"

Echostar shouted as the other warriors began to chase after Barkstalker who strangely begin to run deeper into the forest! Darkclaw and the newly made warriors were chasing after him also, the black she cat however did not wanted to chase after her mentor. If he wanted to leave, why just not let him leave? It was getting darker and the warriors were running faster to catch up with the deputy. Whitefire was running next to Darkclaw,

"We better not get near the thunder path…we'll be killed the moment we get there!"

Sadly the deputy was indeed heading towards the thunder path. Darkclaw shaked her head, her mentor was once again trying to lose them. Echostar however was on the lead and was running in full speed, pinning the tom down to the hard cement ground! All of the warriors stopped and froze when they saw a monster rushing down the thunder path!

"Tell me Barkstalker, why are you trying to run away from your clan?!"

"It's none of your business! Get off from me you fat fur ball!"

Barkstalker shouted back at the leader. The warriors gasped by the deputy's reaction. Echostar hissed,

"How dare you-!"

"Echostar! Barkstalker! Watch out!"

The monster hollered a terrible noise which made Darkclaw flinch and before any of the warriors could do anything they watched in terror as Echostar and Barkstalker were ran over by the monster.


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

(Thank you for your review Velvetpaw! You're review made me laugh, honestly! But I killed Barkstalker so there can basically be more drama. (Cruel me) But anyway, here's the new chapter! Things are getting much more interesting with Echostar on her last life! Echostar is not the type to lose a life that easily now and she's up for another plan that would lose her clan mate's lives! But to be honest, even though if she died there's a lot of trouble to come to the clan! Hope you all enjoy!)

Ravenflight didn't know how to react after his wife's death. He felt something was missing from his heart…that very day he saw his wife drowning before his eyes. He noticed his daughter trying to save her but he knew to himself that it was no use and immediately ordered Whitefire to stop her. It was bad enough to be left to take care of Thunderpaw. Once again the tom felt his stomach growling for food, he watched the two leg's den while licking his lips. It was unlike him to think on eating crow food but it was better than to just starve.

"One life left…and I lost a deputy…"

Echostar hissed to herself as she remembered last night. She didn't bothered to cry over her deputy's body, he ran away from his clan after all. The grey she cat sigh, she had to make a decision right away or Starclan would punish her clan even more. Fawneyes was sitting not too far from her,

"You know, I think Rainmist would be an excellent deputy."

The two she cats stared out from the leader's den and watched the white she cat battle train with Thunderpaw. Echostar was silent but nodded once,

"Yes, she does indeed look like an excellent deputy and clan leader. I will also need body guards for I am on my last life now...but then again Ravenflight would also make a good leader."

"Ravenflight…I know him better then you. He's quite selfish and stubborn, I wouldn't say he would be the right choice to Stoneclan. He would do something foolish."

"Very well then. I had just decided who the next deputy should be."

Echostar stepped out from the leader's den and yowled,

"Cats old enough to catch their own prey, meet me at the high rocks for a clan meeting!"

Immediately all the warriors and apprentices began to gather around the high rocks, waiting for the leader to announce her meeting. Echostar meowed,

"As you can tell we had not only lost a battle but also lost a deputy. I have decided the next deputy of Stoneclan…Rainmist, step forward."

All the cats murmured and some gasped as Rainmist stepped forward to the leader. Echostar smiled,

"Rainmist, you are an excellent and smart hunter. You are kind but fierce at the same time and last but not least I trust you the most from this clan. You would make an excellent deputy…would you accept that?"

"Echostar…if would be an honor! I accept being the deputy!"

"Very well then. I will also be needing two body guards. And I think I know the two cats to do the job…Whitefire and Bolttail. The two of you… are excellent fighters. I am trusting you two on my last life and I'm wanting the two of you to risk your lives."

Whitefire and Bolttail glared at each other but looked back at their leader and bowed in respect. The two cats got next to the leader. Echostar continued,

"Now for my plan. I know we have failed to destroy Waveclan…but we can get more territory. All of you know that there are tall mountains blocking near the other end of our territory. I will be sending a few cats over there to find a new camp for all of us to stay. I will be deciding who shall go next sunrise. Meeting dismissed."

It didn't felt like it used to be, sitting by the small stream where the young warriors normally hanged out. Darkclaw looked up to the sky, the stars were twinkling gently and she wondered where her mother's star was. Whitefire was cleaning his paw as he finished off with the rabbit bone. Greytalon was looking at his reflection from the river. Snowleaf was cuddled next to Mintwillow, crying her eyes out because of her father's recent death. Bladestorm was looking around the woods, just in case any of the other clan cats might come after them. Ashheart was collecting cobwebs near a fallen old log that was not too far away. Darkstream in the other hand was only looking down at his paws, shocked with everything that happened only in that one day. Bladestorm finally spoke to break the awkward silence,

"Well…today's been a pretty shocking day. First we lost battle, then we lost our deputy and now…being near this stream wasn't as fun as it used to be."

Darkstream smirked sadly as he muttered,

"So many cats died…of course we won't be so energetic. Even Owl…he died. I never expected the tom would have died so quickly."

"Yeah…Owl was like a father to us all…well, at least the three of us. Butterfly is sure having a hard time. First all her kits were born dead except for one and now her husband is dead."

Ashheart sigh as she padded up to all of the young warriors,

"Things always happen for a reason. Starclan is still looking over us all."

Darkclaw stood up and her ears twitched and shouted,

"Oh really? Why did Dawnmist had to die? What good was going to come from that?! Can you explain that reason to me Ashheart? Also the fact that my sister is now serving this psychotic leader! I'm left with a father that cares nothing about me now!"

Whitefire immediately got up and gently rested his fluffy tail around Darkclaw's shoulders. Darkclaw's eyes were tearing, over all the cats…the cat that she had loved and respected the most had just died! Whitefire purred as he tried to comfort her,

"Calm down…it's hard for all of us. We'll soon find a way to get more prey and we'll show those clans what we can really do."

"Show them? Show them what?! How weak and pathetic this clan could get?!"

Everyone immediately turned to face Darkstream who looked quite calm while insulting his own clan. Bladestorm gasped at his best friend and smiled sheepishly at the others,

"Well…Dark's been having a pretty hard time today. You know…losing Owlpath and all-!"

"What I'm saying is the truth Bladestorm. You all just think that everything's going to go well, but it won't!"

Greytalon hissed as his claws came out from his paws,

"How dare you say such a thing!"

"You know that I'm telling the truth, mouse brain! It's pointless for us to be all hopeful about this. Just admit the fact that Stoneclan will not last another year. We have a psycho as our leader, what do you think we'll all end up as?!"

Whitefire got up to his feet and stood only a mouse length away from Darkstream,

"You know, you're really starting to get on my nerves. Even is Echostar's our leader we could all help our clan."

"Help?! Ok, we have a sly she cat who's our deputy and doesn't know which side she's in, a white tom who thinks his clan is going to survive but really it won't, a tom from another clan that nobody can trust, a cat who can do nothing but rearrange herbs, a she cat who is still crying over her mentor and last but not least,"

His eyes narrowed when he noticed Darkclaw. Darkclaw stiffened when her eyes meet the dark cold blue eyes. Darkstream frowned sadly and looked away from her gaze but meowed,

"A she cat that has no heart or gives a thing even it one of her clan mates gets run over by a monster."

"You are now on my nerves!"

Whitefire leaped and pinned the tom on the ground, hissing and spitting at the tom who was wrestling against the older tom. Mintwillow, Ashheart and Snowleaf immediately tried to stop the toms but Whitefire didn't let go of the tom. Darkstream kicked Whitefire off immediately, making the older tom hitting against a sharp rock. The black tom hissed at him and slowly the two toms were going in slow circles, watching each other's moves. Whitefire snapped and bit at Darkstream while the other black tom dodged most of his attacks. The two toms went on fighting until finally Darkstream got a tight grip on to the white tom's throat and slammed him hard onto the floor. He was about to strike the white tom and Darkclaw immediately got up from the ground,

"Stop! Just stop it!"

Whitefire's yellow stern eyes stared back at his sister and frowned. Darkclaw was looking up at Darkstream with pleading eyes, which was returned with one sad blue eye.

"Please. Just stop it already…we've fought enough and lost enough cats."

With that Darkclaw pushed past Greytalon and disappeared into the woods. The other remaining young cats were left in silence as the gentle breeze blew around them.

Darkstream didn't know what got into him. Was it the angry thought of losing his foster father getting him crazy? He guessed it did but he was a bit shocked that he had just attacked Whitefire. He frowned and his blue eye twinkled gently in the night. He quietly got a left over bird that he was able to find in the food pile and begin to pick on it. He didn't feel hungry after what had all happened. He noticed Greytalon hugging and rubbing against Darkclaw however and that made the tom even frustrated and angry. He felt his claws scratching the edge of the rock that he was resting on.

"Feeling angry?"

Darkstream looked up and held his breath when he noticed it was Bolttail. The black tom looked away from the older tom, he never did liked the ginger tom. The older tom however sat beside him as if he was his long lost close friend and began to meow,

"Well, seems like you got the others pretty angry. Still trying to fit in with the clan cats?"

Darkstream ignored the tom and jumped off from the rock. He was angry enough and he didn't want to get into a fight again. Bolttail however seemed to have different plans however and padded next to him,

"You do seem to be an amazing warrior Darkstream. You're an excellent hunter, strong, caring, brave…too bad none of the others notice that. Especially that special she cat…I might help you."

"Just leave me alone Bolttail. You make me sick to the stomach."


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

(Thanks for the review! Here's the next chapter!)

"The day has finally come. I have chosen the cats that I want to explore and find the new camp for Stoneclan!"

Echostar announced to her whole clan. Darkclaw leaned closer to Greytalon, no cat had ever traveled beyond the mountains. Her leader was about to send her cats to their grave if they were unlucky! Echostar continued,

"When I call your name, step up. Whitefire."

Darkclaw gasped as her brother only stood up, calmly walking up to their leader.

"Foxstrike, Lillyflower, Blackheart."

The medicine cat widen her eyes is shock, not expecting to hear her name. Foxstrike in the other hand brushed past Rainmist and padded up to their leader with his head down. Blackheart only silently walked up to his leader.

"Snake…and last but not least-"

Darkclaw's tail wrapped around Greytalon's. She just hoped that her crush would not get chosen by their insane leader. Greytalon put his paw on top of her paw, calming her down.

"Greytalon."

Darkclaw's gasped out loud and before Greytalon would step up she looked at him desperately and pinned his paw harder into the grass.

"Please! Please don't leave me like this Grey!"

"I'm sorry Darkclaw…but this is Echostar's orders. I can't disobey our leader."

"I don't care! I don't want to lose you…I had enough after Dawnmist drowned!"

"Darkclaw, let Greytalon go or I'll make you let him go"

Darkclaw turned to face her father who sternly looked down at the two young cats. Greytalon hesitated to leave but soon was pushed away from Ravenflight. The old black tom stood in between the two cats, glaring at Greytalon the longest and hissed,

"Get up to Echostar like a tom, Greytalon."

Greytalon hissed back and grouchily stepped up to Echostar who seemed a bit pleased by Ravenflight's actions. Greytalon looked at Darkclaw with a frown, he wondered why her father got aggressive all the sudden! Echostar who didn't seem effected by this at all continued,

"The cats I've chosen will be the brave cats that will even sacrifice themselves to find the new territory. You will leave at sundown. I'll give you time to enjoy the time with the clan till then, so use the time wisely. If you survived and found the new territory, immediately come back and take us to the new territory. These are my orders and they must be followed even if I die."

Darkclaw hesitated…sacrifice themselves? She felt tears tearing up her eyes, first it was her mentor, then her mother and now…Greytalon? She shook her head and dashed towards the forest, she couldn't take it anymore!

"So you're going?"

Darkclaw croaked at Greytalon without looking behind her. Greytalon sigh and sat next to the depressed she cat. He licked her ears gently and purred in comfort,

"I'll be back in time. Just wait for me by the horizon."

"What if you die? We won't be able to have kits then…we won't be parents! We dreamed about this moment!"

"Even though we've dreamed about this moment we have to follow our warrior duties no matter what. Tell you what, why don't you have the kits and I'll come back and we'll take care of them, together?"

"The problem is…what if you die from this mission? We lost our best warriors from the battle a few days ago…I don't want to lose you!"

Darkclaw shouted and looked away, looking down at her paws and feeling hot tears streaming down her cheeks. She didn't want this to happen. She just wanted kits with Greytalon and live a happy life together until the day they both went to Starclan! Greytalon meowed gently,

"Darkclaw…look at me."

The black she cat still looked away from the tom. Greytalon sigh as he lifted her face to face him with his tail,

"I'm one of the best warriors this clan got. I can survive this…Frozenclan is known to survive the harshest conditions anyway. While I'm gone just make sure to take care of yourself."

"You're one of the best, huh?"

"Yes…but not as amazing as you of course."

Darkclaw giggled as Greytalon nipped on her ear tips playfully. She guessed that it wouldn't be that bad, her crush was indeed quite strong. What did she have to worry about?

"You better stay away from her."

Foxstrike hissed at Bolttail who smirked as his claws dig deep into the ground. The ginger tom tilted his head and meowed coldly with narrow slits of yellow eyes,

"Why? Afraid that I might steal her from you? I guess you're not that confident?"

"No, just the fact that you are never trustworthy. If you try anything…the moment I get back…"

"That is, if you survive from your mission."

"I'll kill you!"

"Very threatening my friend, very threatening."

Bolttail meowed sarcastically as he checked his deadly claws.

"Daddy?"

The two ginger toms turned and noticed Swiftkit who was running up to both of the warriors with a happy smile. Bolttail smirked and flexed his claws as he ignored the kit,

"Don't worry…I won't harm your little kit. Oh wait…he isn't yours."

"Shut your mouth fox heart."

Swiftkit's ears flattened onto his head and tilted his head when he got near to his father.

"Should I leave daddy?"

"Yes…go back to mommy and be a good cat."

Swiftkit ran away, following his father's orders. Bolttail chuckled as he noticed how pathetic Foxstrike seemed with a kit and all his lies.

"How long are you thinking of keeping the secret that he's not your son?"

"Till the day I die…or course, you shouldn't be caring about it."

"I'll take GOOD care of your son."

"Touch him and I'll rip you limb from limb!"

Whitefire sat on the rock, his stomach growling from lack of prey. He felt the soft breeze that slipped through his thin fur. He took a deep breath, closing his eyes and releasing all his stress. He used to know Barkstalker and he actually spend time with the old deputy. And he actually used to be his original apprentice…not after he found out he had a disease that he was going to die sooner than a normal cat should. Whitefire didn't tell anyone and his father knew that he was going to die soon. He just wished nobody would find out…especially Darkclaw. His sister would be heartbroken and cry day and night. He glanced at Rainmist who was sitting besides Echostar, well, at least his sister might get the chance to become the new leader of Stoneclan.

"Whitefire."

The white tom looked behind him, noticing his father standing with stern eyes. Whitefire fell silent as his father sat beside him, together they both stared off at the greenery of the forest.

"It seems like you've been in serious trouble, son."

"Yes father. But I am willing to take the risk, I will do anything to protect our clan."

"Just as determined as your mother…but you shouldn't be too confident about such things. You can't always make things as you want them to be."

Whitefire glanced up at his father. He was a bit shocked that his father was actually talking to him! Ravenflight smirked, reading his mind,

"Strange, huh? Well after your mother died I thought for a moment what she used to tell me. I won't be living long Whitefire…neither will you. So I thought, because we're both going to die we should make sure the females of our family do the right thing."

"What about Rainmist, Darkclaw and Thunderpaw?"

"Rainmist and Darkclaw are both she cats that will soon have mates if you noticed. Because you're leaving…I guess I'll always be in charge with all of these hard things. I'll have to make sure they choose the toms that are acceptable, strong and smart."

"That's all you wanted to tell me father?"

"No. I was also here to tell you…before you leave I just wanted you to know…"

Ravenflight looked at the horizon and the slowly setting son. Whitefire in the other hand felt his heart thumping, what was his negative father about to say?!

"That I'm proud of you to sacrifice your life for this mission… I am proud to have you as my son."

Darkstream walked near Waveclan territory, looking at his reflection in disgust. He stared at his ugly scar across his left eye. The memories flashed before him, the cold rain messing his pelt and the sharp pain that he felt around his body from the bites and scratches the Waveclan cats gave him. He turned around, receiving a sharp blow right on the eye. He could remember the pain, he was too shocked to feel it at first but when he fell to the ground he started to shiver…he couldn't see with his left eye anymore! After that the cat slammed his hard against the rock floor, knocking him cold out. Darkstream strike at his reflection, creating ripples. After all the long moments of deep thoughts he felt his stomach rumble. He grinned to himself and flexed his claws and began to sniff for anything that was edible. He ran around the forest, his nose stuck up into the air. Strong memories of him being an apprentice flashed before his eyes as he ran around the forest…

"Dark! Strike and bite the prey the moment you get your claws on it!"

Ravenflight shouted and wacked him across the head. Dark slowly got back on his feet and tried his best again on his hunting skills. Ravenflight lashed his tail and stood before him, looking down at him in disgust,

"So this is how loners hunt? Pathetic…just like kitty pets! Get back on your feet and come at the prey properly!"

Dark crouched down, concentrating hard on the bark that was pretended to be used as a prey. He leaped and clawed at it, shredding the bark into pieces. Ravenflight looked a bit impressed and continued,

"Now for the fighting moves. Come at me as if you're about to kill me!"

Dark ran at him in full speed but to his much dislike Ravenflight tripped him right off his paws with one paw. Ravenflight put his giant paw on top of Dark's head and begin to crush it, making Dark scream,

"Loners can't do anything right! You're a tom, fight harder! You're fighting like a she cat for Starclan's sake!"

Darkstream growled to himself from those painful memories. He was happy that he no longer had to be treated badly from his mentor. Soon enough he leaped and clawed at a mouse, killing it instantly. The tom purred in happiness as he tasted the delicious blood from his prey and padded back towards camp. He froze however when his eyes caught Darkstream and Greytalon together! He dropped the prey from his mouth when they noticed the two cats were together and purring. He froze, first in shock, then terror and then anger. The two other cats heard the prey falling and hitting the forest floor and immediately looked up to see the black tom standing a few fox length before them.

"D…Darkstream!"

Darkclaw stuttered in surprise. Darkstream looked away, leaving the prey behind him and running off. He couldn't believe his eye! He dashed across the forest floor, his right blue eye burning and tears were falling from it at the same time! He halted though, he guessed he did deserve being tortured like this…he didn't have the chance to admit he had feelings for her until at the last second when she had a strong bond with Greytalon. It wasn't her fault…it was his. He looked up at the sky, the sun was gone and now the stars were starting to be visible. Each moment…each day he saw her with the tom made his heart shatter.

"Dark? Dark, that really you?"

Darkstream looked up and noticed a black old she cat with amber eyes. She had the scent of Waveclan so he immediately crawled his lips up,

"What are you doing near Stoneclan territory?! Get moving!"

"Dark? It's me…Nighttail. Does it ring a bell to you?"

Darkstream only hissed, his large claws gleaming and threatening to hurt the old she cat if she got any closer. Nighttail hesitated and frowned while shaking her head,

"You don't remember your own mother?"

"You're not my mother. I never had a mother. You're only trying to make fun of me to make me feel bad because my clan lost that battle!"

"Silly, you won the battle! You're a Waveclan cat for Starclan's sake! Why can't you remember?"

"If you are my mother…why did you leave me to the loners to die?!"

Nighttail fell silent and calmly looked at her son with flattened ears. She took a step closer, only a whisker length away from crossing the territory! Darkstream yowled and bared his teeth,

"Get back! I'm warning you!"

"Silly son, you don't have the guts to hurt your mother."

Before Darkstream would reject Nighttail brushed against him, freezing Darkstream at the spot. He couldn't explain how he felt…something about her brushing against his pelt made him feel he was…safe? And her scent had the familiar scent of small shells that were normally found near the river banks! Darkstream didn't know what to say while Nighttail smiled gently,

"You remember me now…Darkkit?"

"If you're my mother…I'm…I'm a…"

"Yes, you're a Waveclan warrior. Well, even though we'll have to train you on with your fishing techniques."

"Wait, I can't just leave my clan like that! I can't! I swore to Echostar that I'd…!"

"Look here my boy, you think that good for nothing Stoneclan leader cares about you?! Nobody in that clan cares or loves you! Come with me son…I have to take you to your clan."

"I can't…I just can't."

"Why not?!"

Nighttail hissed while lashing her tail. Darkstream could tell how frustrated she was…not accepting and obeying her words. Darkstream turned back to face where he ran from, somewhere in that section Darkclaw was still there. But wait…she didn't love him. Mintwillow and Bladestorm where off playing together and Owlpath was dead. The cats who he cared deeply…were dead or minding and thinking about themselves. He smirked evilly and turned back to the old she cat,

"Very well…when shall I meet you? I can't go now. The clan cats will be suspicious."

"At midnight. Meet me back here my son. We have so much to discuss."


End file.
